Choir's Angel
by Amy-Katherine914
Summary: Max is choir director at World High. Her student, Ella, is being seriously bullied and, worried for her, calls her guardian, Fang. As Fang fixes the situation with Ella, he and Max grow closer. And is there something going on between Iggy and Nudge? AU, T
1. The Beginning

"Everyone, get in position!" I yelled.

All of my students hushed and stood on the risers, ready to sing.

My name is Max: Maximum Ride. I'm twenty three and the choir teacher for World High. It's the only school in the country that's not named after a person. A couple years back, maybe two, the school was going to go under because the funding was really low. I was just started teaching but I already considered this place a home to me.

I wasn't the only one who fought for it. Teachers, students, parents, coaches- everyone. Anyway, I had uncovered a Board of Education secret: they had been swindling money out of the school funds for personal gain. They were all fired and arrested. I had saved World High and almost everyone in the district knew me or knew OF me.

I ran through the singing warm-ups and told everyone to take out Hey Santa. Christmas was coming and all the choir groups sing at benefits and fundraisers this time of year.

This song was originally done by _Straight No Chaser_, an all man a cappella band. But, since we had girls in choir too, we adapted it for us.

Everyone started as one. The basses were singing "Bop Bad up Bop Bad up Bad up" while the altos were singing another version of that. There were a lot of solos. I loved this song because it brought everyone's talents. I stopped them after a while.

"I know that Thanksgiving break just ended and we haven't sung in a whole week but I know you can do better." I informed them, sitting down. "Where's the emotion, the excitement? When you sing an upbeat song, you are upbeat and need to show it."

Iggy shifted at the piano, wanting to add to what I had just said. He was twenty four and my older brother. He had blonde hair and light blue eyes, being really tall like me.

"Yes, Iggy?" I brought him into the lesson. He was our accompaniment.

"I just wanted to add," He stood and faced everyone. "Everyone, you're all normally so cheerful and energetic. But today, you all look like Max on a date with the Anatomy teacher: bored as hell."

"Iggy!" I blushed, surprised by what he said.

That seemed to stir everyone up. Students talked and giggled, imagining me on a date with Professor West. Sam really liked me and tried to hit on me every day. His tactics never worked.

I frowned at my blonde haired brother.

"Don't worry," The boys sang, snapping their fingers.

"Be happy." The girls sang as well.

"Okay, okay!" I laughed, quieting everyone. "Now, for the concert, you need to practice. Practice the song but also the movements and emotions. Would you rather look amateur… or professional?"

Everyone started singing energetically, Iggy playing the piano and laughing.

--!--

The classroom door opened and in came Ella clad in baggy pants and a baggy sweatshirt with the hood up. She was one of my senior students and it was her fourth time being late to class. And class was over. Students were leaving through the door and Ella tried to sneak out.

"Ella, get back in here." I ordered, arms crossing over my chest. She sighed and came back in, walking into my office. I didn't have anymore classes for seventh and eighth period so we were alone with Iggy getting food in the cafeteria.

She sat down on the couch and pulled her hood down as I sat next to her. She had cuts, bruises, and blood was crusted on her face. I started wiping the blood off with a wipe and put band aids on the cuts. "Ella, you can't keep getting into fights. And I can't keep bailing you out. This is the fourth time you've been late this month. And we're only one week into it." I fixed her up and leaned back. "I'm sorry but you have detention."

Ella was neutral, having heard that statement many times before. "Fine. Can I go now?"

I nodded and she left, me alone in my office. I turned to my desk and grabbed my phone. I dialed a number as Iggy sat next to me.

"You sure you want to?" His eyebrows drew down as he handed me a PowerAde.

"I don't _want_ to, I _have_ to." I sighed before taking a sip. "I can't see her getting hurt anymore."

_"Hello?"_ A deep, smooth male voice came over the phone.

"Mr. Wolf, this is Ms. Ride, Ella's teacher. I need to speak to you in person, could you come in?" I was calling her uncle since her mother died four years ago and her father was in jail for robbery.

_"Uh… sure, when?"_ He asked, uncertain.

"How about now, maybe?"

_"Sure."_

"Thank you. Goodbye."


	2. Meetings and Performances At Lunch

"Max!" A young, female voice rang out before a body slammed into me. I laughed, hugging Angel, my sophomore student.

"Hey, Angel. Shouldn't you be in band?" I asked as I pulled away. I turned back to some papers on my music stand.

She nodded. "Yeah, but there's time. I wanted to see you." I smiled at her. She was Gazzy's little sister and he was one of my junior students.

Gazzy and Angel lived with their parents across the hall from me.

"Must you always steal my students, Max?" A female voice called, a smile in the voice. I turned around to see my best friend Nudge near the secret door to the band room. She was the band director and twenty-three, like me. She smiled at me. "Come on, Angel. Class is starting soon." Nudge lived above me for three years now.

Angel hugged me one last time before walking over to Nudge. There was a knock on the choir door and an older gentleman walked through. "You called me in, Ms. Ride?" His voice was deep and rough, startling.

Nudge and Angel walked into the band room.

"Now, Mr. Wolf-" I started, walking into my office with him in tow. He leaned against the doorway as I sat down.

"Fang."

"Pardon?"

"Call me Fang." He smirked. "First name basis."

"Okay," I leaned back and motioned for Fang to sit on my couch. "Fang, I'm sorry to have called upon you but there's an issue with Ella and I have been told you were her guardian."

He was silent for a while. "Did she skip again, Mrs. Ride?"

"Miss. I'm not married, Fang. And yes, she has but not because she didn't want to come to class."

His eyebrows drew down. "So… why am I here?"

"Ella is… having trouble getting along with other students. There have been fights-"

"Are you calling my niece violent?" He growled at me.

I raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm saying you or Lissa need to talk to her. She always comes late, bloodied and bruised. I would like for her family to talk to her and get to the bottom of this. She won't tell me anything." I was concerned with her well-being. Lissa was Ella's godmother. She was always there for Ella for guy troubles but when it came to other things, Fang was the one Ella went to. Lissa had been Ella's mom's friend, no relation to them, really.

He looked at his hands before nodding. His hair was jet black and it was pulled back into a small ponytail at the base of his neck, it was so long. His eyes matched his hair: dark, sleek, depthless, and gentle.

He stood. "I should get going now."

"Of course." I stood and walked him out of my office. Iggy was walking in.

"Maxie!" He sang out happily. "Let's go get some late lunch, shall we?" He clapped his hands together before stopping and smiling once more. "Yo, Fang! Why don't you join us?"

Fang smiled, his bangs covering his eyes. "Iggy, you didn't tell me you were at work today."

"He's here everyday." I rolled my eyes and walked over to Iggy, hitting his head in the process. "I'll go first while you two can talk."

The band room door opened and Nudge stepped out right as the bell rang for the end of the day. She smiled at me and then it slipped from her face as Iggy turned around.

He gasped. "Nudge!" he ran over to her and gave her a big bear hug. He may work here every day but he never gets to see Nudge, always running around the school.

Nudge pulled away from his embrace, blushing. "Can't you treat me like you treat Max at least once!?" Iggy always was cuddly to Nudge, just to bug her, never treating her normally like he did to me. But to me, it seemed as though he liked her. And I mean really liked her.

I laughed at them and backed away, getting away from the argument. I wound up next to Fang. "So, will you talk to Ella?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I don't know why she didn't tell me." He leaned against my podium.

I shrugged. "It's possible she didn't want you to be disappointed in her because she couldn't fix the problem herself."

The choir door opened and Sam walked in. I held back a sigh as he smiled, coming forth. "Hey, Max. Want to grab some lunch?" He tried to smile sweetly but it came off as sickly.

Nudge and Iggy stopped "fighting" and faced us.

"What are you doing in here, West?" Iggy questioned, arms crossed.

"I'm asking Max to lunch." He stated as if it was obvious.

"I'm sorry, Sam, but no. I have to help out somewhere else." I started heading back to my office.

Sam grabbed my hand. "Then at least let me warn you." He pulled me back toward him and I shot a look at Iggy to not rip Sam's arm off. My brother was very protective, especially against Stalker Sam. Nickname provided by Iggy. Fang was just watching us, bored.

"Fine, what?" I pulled my hand away and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Mr. Betchelder has been looking for you." He sounded worried.

My eyebrows drew down and I looked at Iggy. "What's Pops want?" Pops was my nickname for Jeb (Mr. Betchelder) because he was way older than me and he was like a father to me. He was about fifty-two.

Iggy shrugged. "I don't know. Probably nothing."

I rolled my eyes and started walking toward the secret stairs.

"Max!" Sam came up from behind me. "Promise me you won't mouth off to him? I really want you to keep your job." He bit his bottom lip, giving me an appreciative look.

"Iggy." I called softly.

Iggy pulled him away. "Why don't you hang with Fang and I? We've got nothing better to do."

"I have classes to teach." He excused rather harshly, pulling away from Iggy's grip.

I was walking down the stairs, ignoring their arguments.

--!--

"Yo, Pops," I stepped into Jeb's office. He was the assistant principal. "You wanted to see me?"

He looked up from his papers and smiled, his eyes crinkling, showing his inside youth. "Yes. We got a new staff member and he's going to be the music department's assistant. He'll be working with you and Nudge."

I nodded. "Okay," He didn't say anything more. "Anything else?"

He blinked before thinking. "Ah, yes. Um, the Holiday Concert…how ready do you think you are?"

"Pretty ready. We just need to tweak some notes and then we'll be good."

He smiled at me. "Good, good. How've you been? Iggy's been telling me some things-"

"Oh boy." I laughed, leaning back in my seat.

"All he said is that you seem pretty lonely." He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. "We all feel lonely sometimes but remember: you're never alone. Not really. We're all here for you, we're your family: Iggy, Nudge, Me, Val, and everyone else. We want to see you be happy."

I returned the squeeze before pulling away. "I am happy. I have a great job, great students, and a great substitute father." I gave him a wide smile before standing up. "I've got to get back."

He nodded.

--!--

Ella walked into the choir room, freezing when she saw a familiar man standing near the piano and Iggy. "Uncle Fang." She choked out before clearing her throat.

He turned around and looked at her sternly before walking over.

She looked at her feet. "I'm sorry."

Instead of yelling as she had anticipated, he embraced her tightly. "I'm always proud of you but sometimes you need to let go of your damn Wolf pride and ask for help. I'm glad that you were getting help from at least one person, though, even if it isn't me." He murmured to her.

She pulled back. "You're not mad?"

"At you- no. At the kids that hurt you- yes." He ruffled her hair.

"Mr. Wolf, you're still here?" Max's voice rang out from the secret stairs.

He turned around and shrugged. "I suppose."

She nodded once, letting him silently know that he was welcome. "Iggy, I'm going to be on a conference call, don't let anyone bother me. It's important."

"Who with?" He looked at her, over his shoulder. "Michael again?"

"Wait, Michael?" Ella stepped forward, smiling. "Can I talk to him? Please?!" She clasped her hands together.

Max chuckled. "No, El. This is important- not about tickets again but about providing music. Plus, I want to see if they can all come in to see the concert." She stepped into her office and Ella sighed as the door shut.

"Uncle Fang, why are you still here anyway?" Ella asked, turning toward him and looking at his face through her blackened brown eyes. Her dark brown hair was put into a braid at the base of her neck, dropping down her back, ending under her bust.

He pursed his lips. "I can't see me friends? Now, get to class. I know you have Photography now. Don't think you can skip class."

She pouted and stepped out of the room.

"Yo, Fang, let's go get some grub in the cafeteria." Iggy stood from the piano and led him down the stairs. "I'll get the food, what do you want?"

"Bosco Sticks." Iggy nodded and left to get them both some Bosco Sticks. Fang leaned against the wall, waiting.

About ten or fifteen boys stepped to the front of the cafeteria, getting in position. People started clapping. Iggy came up next to Fang and laughed.

"They do this all the time. The Guy's Chorus sing for the students in their lunch. There's about fifty boys in the chorus in all."

Fang raised an eyebrow as they claimed a table. The boys started singing.

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me. A partridge in a pear tree. On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me. Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas, On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me. Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens,

Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

"On the ninth day of Christmas, On the eighth day of Christmas, Nine ladies dancing, My true love gave to me. Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying. You better not shout. You better not cry. You better not in a pear tree. On the ninth (NO) On the eighth (NO) On the seventh day of Christmas Deck the halls with boughs of holly (My true love gave to me) Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green (Seven swans a-swimming,) (Six geese a-laying,) Five golden rings Four calling birds Three French hens, Two turtle doves, (Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green) The boars head in hand bear I be decked with bays And Partridge in a pear tree On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And Rudolf the red nose reindeer.

"On the 12th day of Christmas- I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay and when it's dry and ready. Oh dreidel I shall play. Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel… On the 12th day of Christmas do, do, do, do, do, do. On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me. Twelve drummers drumming like Olympus above the Serengeti, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing they were dancing for me, Eight maids a-milking they were milking just for me, I had Christmas down in Africa (5x) (Five golden rings) (3x) Gonna deck the halls and do the things we never had. Do, do, do, do, do, do Partridge in a big tree. Partridge in a big tree." {The 12 Days Of Christmas by Straight No Chaser} [I recommend looking it up on their website: www(dot)sncmusic(dot)com. It's really cool]

Fang's jaw almost dropped, his chewed up food close to being displayed to other students.

Iggy laughed and clapped with everyone else. "Every lunch does a different song with a different choir group. It's to give students ideas of how the whole concert will go through. And it's to encourage students to join. And let me tell you, it works." He chuckled, finishing his coffee and standing with Fang to throw out their garbage.

"Did Max tell them to?" Fang asked as they made their journey back to the choir room.

Iggy shook his head. "No. At first, this lunch did it and Max saw them perform since she grabbed something to eat. She thought it was a good idea so she let everyone do it. It's not just for the holidays, either. Just in general. Band does it too sometimes, if they can at least."

Fang nodded. "It's cool."

"Yeah, and the whole reason the students did it was because they heard people talking shit about my sister, saying she wasn't a real teacher since she taught choir. It was to show how much work goes into the songs. And the kids really enjoy it."

Fang stared at him. "You two really enjoy it here, don't you?"

Iggy nodded. "All the choirs are one big family. Max and I think of them all as sisters and brothers, except for Angel and Gazzy. Max thinks of them as her kids. Speaking of which, did you and Ella talk through it all?"

Fag nodded. "Yeah. I'm just glad, out of anyone, she chose Max to go to."

"Hey, man, don't be crushing on my sister. Otherwise, I get to crush you."

Fang chuckled at the threat. "Don't worry."

"So, why are you still here? Ella's fine now…"

"I'm the new music assistant. I'll be working here from now on."

"What happened to being an agent?" Iggy's eyebrows drew down as they stepped into the choir room.

Fang shrugged as Max opened her office door, talking on her cell. He watched her stand up, Bluetooth in her ear, phone tucked in her pants pocket.

"Dude, Michael, come on! Please?! Can't you guys make it out here?" She started pacing as she got a response. "Look, the kids adore you- all of you. You wouldn't be…" Her face pinched up as she thought and listened. She sighed. "Would you believe me if I just said I wanted you all to come? I really think you guys would enjoy watching them, seeing other people perform your songs…And don't give me the excuse you guys are out of town. I know for a fact that you guys are going to be in town when we have the concert." She stopped pacing and smirked triumphantly.

"That's why she's the boss." Iggy murmured to Fang as he made his way to Max's office. As he passed her, he high-fived her. Fang chuckled.

"Great. Set the date. Alright, bye." She chuckled at the end as she shut her phone off. As she took off her Bluetooth, she noticed Fang standing near the piano, staring at the music sheets. "What are you still doing here, Fang?" She stepped out of her office and sat down at the piano, leaning against the cover over the keys. "Just wanting to see me?" She smiled, teasing him.

He shrugged. "Maybe. I haven't seen you in so long so there's nothing wrong with that." He crossed his arms and leaned against the piano.

--!--

"True." I said, laughing. Fang and Iggy had been friends in high school and college. "How long has it been? A year? Two?"

"For you and I, yes. Iggy and I still hang out." He nodded his head at Iggy, his eyes still on me. "But I'm here because I just got a new job."

"Really? What happened to-?"

"Tried asking." Iggy interjected. "He won't answer."

Pops walked in and smiled, seeing Fang. "Ah, good. Max, Iggy, I know you guys already know Fang, I'm sure you three will work famously together."

I looked at him. "Scuse me?" I asked, confused.

"He's the new assistant." Jeb explained. "And, Fang, a little forewarning: Max works her assistants to the bone with work." He left before I could retort.

I glared at where he used to stand before looking back at Fang casually. "That's only because my past assistants were pricks." I explained.

Fang nodded, lips pursed. He started to smirk. "Sure…" He sounded unconvinced.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. I stood from the piano as Nudge came in from the band room with Angel and Gazzy. Angel ran at me and hugged me again.

"Mom said you're taking care of us tonight." Angel said seriously. "She just texted and said you wouldn't mind."

I raised an eyebrow. "You guys are in high school. You can take care of yourselves, right?" I looked at Gazzy. "Scratch that- you can but he can't." He stuck his tongue out at me, making me laugh. "But it's okay. When should I come over?"

Gazzy shook his head, coming over to us, Nudge talking to Fang and Iggy. "No, we're going to your place. Mom and Dad are having friends over and they wants to have a small dinner party without us going at each other's throats." I chuckled and nodded.

"Okay, well, come over when it's time."

"What? No, no, Max, tonight's my night!" Iggy whined. We shared an apartment. "I understand that you have no life-" I threw my shoe at him. He ducked before it hit his head. Fang and Nudge acted as though it was natural for me to throw my show at my brother. "But I do have a life!" He finished.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you staying home, huh?"

"Because I'm hosting Guy Night at our place. I can't have you and those two in the apartment."

I rolled my eyes. "Iggy, you invite girls to Guy Night all the time and, plus, this has never bothered you before."

"Don't worry, Max. I'll help you out. I'm coming over tonight for Guy night but I'll help you." Nudge smiled at me.

It clicked. "Thanks, Nudge, but we'll be fine." I smiled and cast an inconspicuous glance at Iggy to see his cheeks slightly rosy, Fang teasing him about it and him fighting him about it. "Angel and Gazzy and I will stay on my side of the apartment."

Iggy blinked. "Max, there are no sides."

"Exactly." I smiled and walked away with Angel and Gazzy.

"Max!" Fang called after me, running to catch up. Angel and Gazzy stopped at their lockers. "I could help, if you want. Iggy invited me but his Guy Nights are lame. It's just Poker and watching action-thriller movies."

"I know but they all seem to enjoy Guy Night so I don't spoil their fun. Thanks for the offer but I think I'll just take them out for food and games."

"Well, I could help with that. Like I said, I don't really like Iggy's Guy Night- I need to get out of it."

I narrowed my eyes, thinking of a plan. "How bad do you want to get out of it?"

"Really bad." He stared at my face. I saw something in his eyes and I could tell that he really didn't like Iggy's Guy Night.

"What would you do to get out of it?" I rocked back and forth in an innocently evil way.

He narrowed his eyes. "What did you have in mind?" He questioned warily.

I smiled. "Well…"


	3. FunWay Drinks Lead 2 Explicit Situations

"_Max! Door_!" Iggy called, staring at the TV.

"_Iggy, I'm right next to you!"_ I yelled back, rubbing my ear. Nudge, Fang, Tess, JJ, James, John, Michael, Dylan, Lissa, Ari, Oliver, and Mike were all already over for Iggy's Guy Night, all stealing chairs and the floor, watching movies. At the moment, they were all watching Tropic Thunder.

Tess was Iggy's good friend who was a Freshman math teacher and was twenty-six. JJ and James were twins, JJ my friend form high school and James being Iggy's. JJ was extremely girly where James seemed to be too, but he was straight. They were both twenty-four. John taught woodshop at school and was thirty, the eldest one in the room, aside from Michael who was his cousin, same age. He taught cooking. Dylan and Lissa were dating and both were twenty-five. Dylan taught Biology at school, right down the hall from me. For a while, before I introduced Lissa to him, he had a thing for me. Ari was Iggy's and my cousin, twenty-nine. We never really saw him much because he was normally out of state but when he was here, we always took advantage. Oliver, or as we like to call him Omega, was the karate/martial arts teacher. Which is why we call him Omega; he was amazingly fast and strong and he helped all of us learn how to fight in the easiest and quickest ways. He was twenty-one. Mike, or Computer Mike, was, obviously, the technological teacher at school. He taught people how to use programs on the computer and how to operate cameras, boom mikes, etc.

**(Notice something about these characters? Tess, JJ, Lissa- all from S.O.F./book 2. John and Michael- the scientists in books 4 and 5. James- the original author. Ari- duh! Omega- book 4. Mike: I think it was Mike. Do they even say his name?? Anyway, books 1 and 3. And, if you don't recognize Dylan…I'm almost 100 percent positive that he is the obstacle in Max's and Fang's relationship in Maximum Ride: Fang. So, there! I'm using all these unknown characters in the books! Look out for more!)**

Anyway, I got up and went over to the door, opening it. Gazzy and Angel stood there, looking bored out of their minds.

"Come on in guys. Let me get my coat." I led them in while I went to my room to grab my wallet and jacket.

_"Max! Why?! Why, Max, why, why, why?!"_ Iggy whined. I had reassured him earlier that they wouldn't set foot in the apartment during Guy Night. _Of course, I had lied_. I mean, come _on_. Iggy was being rude!

I came back out with my things and Fang was waiting by the door, looking at his foot, thinking. I smirked. He had no idea what I had in mind, letting him come along. First, I was going to make him pay for most of it all. Second, he had to do a _lot _of things in order to get the auditorium ready for the concert. And third…ha, ha, ha! He has no idea!

As I passed Iggy, I smacked the back of his head. "Dumbass," I muttered.

"Bitch." He muttered back.

Aren't we _lovely_ to each other? Fang, Angel, Gazzy, and I walked out. Fang stared at me incredulously.

"What?" I asked as we walked to the stairs. I lived on the fifth floor.

"You guys really talk to each other like that?" He asked, still shocked. Sure, me throwing a shoe would seem normal but calling each other names? …Okay then.

"Yeah. That's how we say I love you to each other." And it was. Iggy and I weren't the greatest explaining our feelings. When we were by ourselves, yeah, we could talk but if there were witnesses…ha, no, no way.

"That has got to be the worst thing in the world." He scolded, mostly to himself, not looking me in the eyes. "Not telling each other properly, calling each other regretful things! You two should treat each other better because one of these days the other might just be… might... just be… gone." His voice was fading by the end of his light lecture.

We were outside of the building by then and Gazzy and Angel were hailing a taxi. I stopped Fang by putting my hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at me before being engulfed by my hug. His sister only died two years ago. I know; she was one of my best friends. Her name was Marian and she was his adopted sister since he was three. She had grown up to be a famous millionaire who was also a scientist, very successful in the study of cross-genetics. Her husband had died when Ella was six so she raised her herself and then two years ago, there was an accident. And then… her funeral. And many others' as well. **(In case any of you don't recognize the name [since this was a minor minor character] she was the Director in the books. Never really referred to by name but I searched for it.)**

"I know you miss her." I whispered to his neck. "But you have to move on. You can't grieve forever." I knew exactly how he felt. She and I had gotten into a fight and we both said horrible things to one another. Fang had fought with her too, being on my side, and screamed nasty things to her as well. Both of us regretted it to this day. "Come on." I pulled away. "Taxi's here."

I pulled him over to the taxi-van which was big enough to hold all four of us in back, an extra row of seats.

**_--!--_**

"Yes! A strike!" Angel screamed happily, jumping up and down. She skipped over to her seat and sat down next to Gazzy who was glaring at her over his Mug Rootbeer can. "Your turn, Gaz!" She smiled innocently at him while he got up.

"Bowling? _Really_, Max? Never thought you were one to bowl." Fang said to me while Gazzy grabbed his ball. **(Ouch…XD)**

I shrugged. "I know Angel and Gazzy love it so…plus, I'm not that bad of a bowler."

"One thing's for sure: Angel's a pro." He nodded toward the scoreboard. We were on our last turns, Gazzy being the last. Angel's score was 270. Gazzy was 127, Fang's was 220, and mine was 259. Amazing, right? **(For the unknown, a perfect 10 pin game is a 300, so Angel being that close is really an excellent play.)**

"Who won?" Gazzy asked, coming over.

"Angel," Fang answered. Angel pumped her fist in the air. "Then Max, then me, and then you, Gaz." He chuckled at Gazzy's narrowed eyes.

He shrugged. "Oh well. I'm better at DDR!" He yelled, rushing to take his shoes off.

I swear, sometimes that boy reminds me of a nine-year-old. Fang, Angel, and I had taken our shoes off while Gazzy had bowled, our own shoes on our feet.

We turned our shoes in and went back upstairs where the games were. We went to the local Fun Way place where it had rollerblading, games, bowling, bumper cars, go-karts, laser tag, and rides. Fang put money into a machine and got hundreds of tokens, splitting it equally with all of us.

"Keep your phones on and meet back here in twenty minutes if you need to find us." I told Angel and Gazzy before they ran off. They may be in high school but Fun Way brings the child out in even the oldest, grumpiest geezer.

I put the tokens in my empty, clean cup that I had been holding and started walking away. Fang followed.

"I can't believe you're making me pay for everything." He grumbled, slightly angry.

"Not everything. Just games, rides, and fun. I'm paying for food and entry." I pointed out.

He scowled. "Still not fun."

I rolled my eyes. "It's Fun Way- _of course_ it's fun. You're just being a big baby."

"Am not!" He protested, reminding me of someone.

"You're right. You're acting like Iggy."

His jaw dropped, taking the insult. "Hey! That is not-"

"Think about it." I interrupted him with a quiet, calm voice, walking ahead.

I knew I won because he stopped arguing. I stepped past a window and froze, smiling at the sight. Inside was an ice skating rink. Fang was next to me again.

"I haven't skated in a while." I mused, almost to myself, though out loud.

"Then come on." Fang nudged me toward the door.

"No. No, you're already spending enough. Plus, if we did skate, I'd like Gaz and Ange here too along with Nudge. They all love the ice." I watched the little kids sliding and gliding on the ice, so graceful. "More of a group activity. Plus, there's too many kids- I'd rather not trample them."

He chuckled. "Alright." He let it go and started walking toward the Rock Band station where there was a mic on a stand, the drum set, and two guitars. "Come on. Let's hear that choir voice that I've heard so much about."

I laughed and walked over. We split the tokens evenly between me and him. I was going to sing and play guitar while he played drums so he helped pay for the guitar since it was extra coins, like for an extra person.

"You choose the song." I allowed him while I fixed the guitar strap. He sat at the drums.

"Alright." He was flipping through before he stopped at _For A Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic_ by Paramore. He beat the drum to choose it and we chose the difficulty setting. For guitar, I chose hard and for vocals I chose extreme. Fang chose hard for drums.

"Just talk yourself up And tear yourself down You've hit your one wall Now find a way around Well what's the problem? You've got a lot of nerve…" I started to sing.

**_--!--_**

Gazzy grabbed his fifth slice of thick crust pizza. Angel was on her fourth and Fang and I were done, having already eaten seven each. We had decided to save some for the two. I took a sip from my Coke and shook the cup.

"I'm out. I'll be right back." I got up and went to the soda fountain machine.

As I pushed the button for Coke, I felt a presence behind me, a little too close. I looked over my shoulder and refrained from groaning and screaming.

It was Sam.

I sighed. "Hello, Mr. West." I greeted formally.

"What a pleasant surprise, Max! I didn't expect to see you here!" He smiled, coming to stand next to my side.

I grabbed my cup and the cap to my drink, popping it on. "Yeah. I'm here. With Angel and Gazzy…and Fang."

"Mm… who?" His eyes started trailing down my body as my eyebrow raised up.

I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes. They whipped back up to my face. "Listen, I have to get back to them so…"

"Great! I'd love to join you!" He seemed overly cheerful.

"I didn't invite you." I stated rather harshly.

"Ah, but you were going to." He went to tap my nose but I stepped back…right into something hard. Oh God, don't tell me he backed me against a wall!

I turned to look and I saw a body. It was Fang. He was staring at Sam, face completely serious.

"There a problem?" He asked politely. Underneath though, there was hostility.

"No, _Wolf_. Why don't you get out of here and tend to that disobedient niece of yours?" He all but growled.

Fang's hand curled into a ball and my eyes flashed. A fist went flying into Sam's gut roughly. He grunted and the air left his lungs. Fang's eyebrows went up.

"If I had a knife…it would've been in my fist." I snarled at Sam. I leaned toward his ear, fist still in his gut, him slightly doubled over. "If you ever talk about Ella that way again… next time I _will_ have that knife." I pulled my fist back to my side and turned to walk away.

Fang was by my side and his hand was on my hip, keeping me near him. I would have ripped his hand off for the possessive gesture but I knew Fang was using that to keep himself from burning Sam at the stake. We moved into the booth and Gazzy and Angel were applauding me.

"Amazing punch, Max!"

"_Wham_! Right in the stomach! He won't be able to stand straight for a month!"

Gazzy and Angel were laughing and then they started talking about how else I could have hurt the guy.

"Thanks." Fang murmured to me, eyes staring at the table, tracing the fake wooden patterns.

"No problem. Ella's like my little sister- I can't stand for anyone talking like that about her. Which is why I want to know who's hurting her." I informed him.

He nodded and he handed Angel and Gazzy twenty bucks each. "Meet us near the bumper cars in two hours."

They grinned like the Cheshire Cat, running out of the food court. I looked at him.

"What was with that?" I asked with a chuckle.

He leaned back in the booth. "Needed a break from their babbling."

I laughed when I saw a group of little kids come running in screaming and giggling. Fang narrowed his eyes at the wall, not wanting to scare them with his glare.

"Come on. I know a quiet place." I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the booth, bringing him to the elevator. This place had four floors: floor one was blowing, mini golf, and bumper cars, second floor was virtual reality games and wreck games along with the food court, third floor was laser tag, the whole floor being the obstacle, and floor four was the basement where no one really went.

I hit the fourth floor button. Fang and I stood in the elevator, waiting not very long.

"I didn't know there was a fourth floor." He told me.

I smiled at him. "Not many people do."

"Then how do you know?" He leaned against the wall behind him.

"Connections."

"Such as?"

"Iggy and Nudge."

He nodded.

The elevator dinged and it stopped but the doors didn't open.

"You have your license?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" He took it out to show me while I already had mine in my hand.

I took it and put it up to the scanner after mine, the device reading our ages. The doors opened as I gave Fang his ID back.

"Whoa." His eyebrows disappeared behind his bangs.

Inside was every adults dream: a free bar, huge couches and reclining chairs, giant TVs, pool tables, dart boards, poker tables, and just tables to sit at. It was Heaven away from little children. **(Not that this exists in Fun Way. Nope. There's only two floors at the one near my house too but I thought I should add to the fun- for all ages!)**

Fang started walking toward one of the giant couches. Most of the people were at the bar and tables. The couches were for when you were really exhausted. I went to the bar and grabbed two beers.

Fang was laying down on the couch, head rested on a fluffy pillow. I laughed at his at ease expression and handed him one of the beers when he sat up, making room for me. I leaned back.

"I should come here more often." He stated thoughtfully.

I laughed. "It's a really nice place. Especially on Sundays. No one is ever here on Sundays."

"Thanks for the tip." He took a swig of beer. "Good thing we took a cab. I might take advantage of the free bar."

"It's only free until your fourth drink." I informed him.

He nodded, understanding and set his beer on the side table after taking a long sip. "I've got a question, Max."

"Shoot." I set my beer down, facing him cross-legged.

"Why'd you turn down the chance back in Senior Year?"

I blinked. I'm surprised he remembered that. I had gotten an offer to a recording contract in Senior Year because someone's dad was a scout and I sang at graduation, saying goodbye to the school and students. Fang had been sitting next to the guy. "I don't know. I… just didn't. I mean, I was happy and honored and all but… it's not what I wanted at the time."

He leaned toward me. "What did you want?"

"A degree in music and arts."

"You have that now, why don't you go after the chance again?"

I smiled softly at him. "Because I'm happy. I have great friends, a great job, great family."

He smiled and grabbed his beer. "Cheers to that." I clinked my beer against his and we both down the alcohol.

**_--!--_**

We slammed down the shot glasses, both swallowing the awesome liquor. That had probably been our seventh shot. We had three beers before, one glass of schnapps, and then the shots.

I leaned back against the couch and looked at Fang. He was shaking his head, opening his eyes really wide before blinking like crazy. I laughed at him. "You're not a hard drinker, are you?"

He leaned back while I laughed. "I so am. I just drink a little differently than you."

"Like?" I prompted, finishing off my schnapps that I had saved over this time.

"Not shots. Tequila." he smirked at me as he saw the smile come across my face.

"You're- you're-" I was laughing. "_Tequila_? Really? Like, chugging?" He nodded. "I haven't done that since college."

He chuckled and checked his watch. "We've got twenty minutes until we have to meet Angel and Gazzy." He told me.

I nodded. "Okay."

Maxine came over holding a tray near her ear. Since she had a name similar to mine, she and I made a joke calling her Max II or Maxie Clone, since I was a year older. She set down two glasses of red wine.

"You two better not be driving." She warned.

I shook my head. "No, don't worry. We took a cab here and we'll take one back." She nodded and left. I grabbed the cup, thinking of a toast. "To youth. Let's waste it like ourselves tonight."

He tapped his glass against mine and took a sip of his wine. "You said earlier something about great everything… what about love? Don't you have a boyfriend?"

I shifted, slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable. You don't normally talk about your love life with one of your friends of the opposite gender. "No. How can I with Sam lurking around every corner?" I took a sip of my wine and lowered my hand back down to my lap, gently cupping the glass in my hand. I smiled slightly. "Plus, you don't need love to be happy."

Fang didn't answer for a while so I looked up, thinking he might have fallen asleep from the alcohol consumption. He was staring at my carefully. "But you're not happy. Not completely." His voice was quiet, careful, fragilely touching the subject. He knew I had my outbursts. Example A: punching Sam in the gut and threatening him.

I looked into his eyes. "No. No, you're right." I looked back at my lap before shifting my eyes to the table and finishing off the wine. "But I'm okay with it." I looked back at Fang. "I'm not one of those girls that need every bit of happiness to enjoy my life. Sure, it'd be nice but… my life is fine. It's fine- it's great- _great_! I… love it." My voice faded at the end and I looked at my cup, wishing for more wine to magically appear. Maxie Clone set down 2 more glasses. My eyes widened and I looked at her, smiling. "You can read minds, _oh my God_!" I cheerfully said. I stood and hugged her. "You're so awesome, more wine!" I went to pull away and stumbled a bit. I could balance perfectly fine when I was drunk but I was on one leg, the other resting on the couch. "Yeah, I don't think I should have anymore." I sat back down, giving her my empty glass. She took back the two full glasses, rolling her eyes.

Fang chuckled at my attitude. "I think you're done for the day." He set his wine glass on the table. "I am too."

"We should go."

He nodded and got up with me, both of us going over to the elevator.

--!--

Angel and Gazzy had been waiting for us but not for long. We called a cab and we were on our way back home.

"Oh, shit." I turned to Fang. "You can't drive home like this, Fang. Why don't you stay the night? Plus, we have all the necessities for a hangover."

He smirked. "I'm guessing you go there often?"

I made a face at him. "Hey, I'm trying to be nice here."

"Yeah, I'll stay the night." He wiped his hand over his forehead and eyes. He had taken the ponytail out of his hair a while ago so now it lay on his shoulders and in front of his eyes.

"We're here." The cab driver said.

I paid him the amount needed, plus tip, and we all headed to the apartment doors. We went in and climbed the five flights of stairs.

"Night, Angel. Night, Gazzy." I hugged them both before they disappeared into their apartment, both completely exhausted.

I opened my apartment door and saw that the place was actually clean. It was probably around 11 at night. Nudge was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes and Iggy was cleaning the garbage in the family room.

"Hey, Max." Nudge greeted.

"Oh, hey, what up, you two?" Iggy looked up for a moment before picking up more trash.

"I'm shocked. You didn't destroy the place." I joked. "Yo, any more Advil?"

They both froze and looked at one another. "Fun Way?" They guessed in unison.

"Yeah. Fang's staying the night. I just want to make sure there's Advil in case his head's exploding in the morning." I started walking toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, just restocked Hangover Supplies." Iggy informed me.

"Kay. Iggy, can you turn out the couch for Fang to sleep on? Nudge, thanks for helping clean up."

"No problem." She murmured with a blush on her cheeks.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" I whispered to her while Fang helped Iggy turn out the couch.

She shook her head. "Not really. Almost everyone was coupled up on the chairs and stuff and I was the only one on the floor so… Iggy offered me a spot."

"Where?" I asked cautiously and warily.

"His lap." She whispered, blushing two more deeper shades of red. She had that smile on her face meaning she was holding in a squeal.

"What else?"

"Well, he rested his head on my shoulder so he could watch the movies too so he was really close." She smiled at me nervously. "Do you approve? Because if you don't approve, I understand. I mean, he is your brother after all and if you think we're not good for one another, it's fine- I guess I can find someone else-"

"_Nudge, it's fine_." I interrupted. I smiled at her. "It's fine."

She put down the plate she was washing and put a hand on her hip. Fang smacked Iggy in the back of the head as they went to his room. "You're extra cheerful today, what happened with you?"

I chuckled. "Let's just say you're not my drinking buddy anymore." I patted her shoulder and went to walk to my room but she stopped me.

"No, no, no! Explanation, Missy!" I raised an eyebrow and she licked her lips. "_Please_?" She gave me Bambi Eyes with her quiet plea.

"I had forgotten how hard a drinker Fang is and I enjoyed talking with him. We caught up and we were knockin' back crazy, let me tell ya." I laughed, moving my hair out of my face.

"So? Are they back?" She asked quietly.

"Are what back?"

"Those old feelings."

I blushed and looked away. "No. No, they aren't. And they won't ever be." Back when I was in high school, junior year, I had liked Fang. A lot.

Not only was he Iggy's friend then, he was mine too. We had gone to the same college and everything so we had known each other for a long time and were there for each other every step of the way. Iggy, Nudge, Fang, and I had graduated college in three years unlike the other kids in our classes because we had been ahead with what we knew.

Fang and I had known so much about each other. But when he moved out of town to go to New York, he sort of… left me. He kept in touch with everyone except me. I hadn't really trusted many people after that considering it felt like if I ever got too close, they'd leave me like Fang.

Iggy still didn't know that Fang broke ties.

I looked at Nudge. "Those feelings disappeared when he left me- _us_- _me and Iggy_: _everyone_. They went with him when he disappeared from our lives."

"But did they come back with him?" Nudge asked.

Fang and Iggy walked out of Iggy's room so the subject dropped. Nudge gave me a hug and said goodbye to the guys before leaving.

Iggy literally waltzed back into his room while Fang and I stared incredulously after him. He closed his door.

Fang looked back at me and I shrugged.

"I think he smoked his something a _little_ too much today." I joked.

Fang chuckled and I went over to my room.

"Yo, Max," I turned back to him, giving him my attention. "Can I use your bathroom? I know Iggy likes to hog his."

I smirked. "Yeah, go ahead. Towels are under the sink if you want to take a shower."

He walked into my room and went right to the bathroom, closing the door.

--!--

Fang stepped out of the bathroom, hair dripping wet from the shower. He wore no shirt and a pair of dark blue flannel pajama pants borrowed from Iggy. And let me say, he was HOT! Completely toned. Six pack, everything!

He came over to me and sat next to me on my bed. I was already in my pajamas: a tank top and shorts with ankle socks. What? My toes get cold at night…

"I had fun today. Thanks for hanging out- I know I can be a bother sometimes." I smiled at him, showing my thanks. My head already started to throb a bit, meaning that the alcohol was washing through my system.

He smirked back. "No problem at all. It was nice to catch up."

I nodded, trying to keep my eyes on his face. On his eyes. "It was."

"I should let you get some sleep." He got off my bed after giving me a one-armed hug and left my room.

I groaned quietly and fell back on my bed, sighing.

All of the sudden, my bedroom door opened and Fang walked back in, the door shutting behind him from the force of him opening it so harshly. I sat up right when he came up to me, arm going behind me, holding me to him. He crashed lips to mine roughly and gently at the same time.

I froze for a moment and Fang, wanting a response, deepened the kiss by tilting his head. I closed my eyes and relaxed in his arms, wrapping my own around his neck. He put his other around me but a little lower to lift me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he slid his tongue into my mouth.

I kissed him back just as passionately, as fervently as he and a growl built in his throat, almost escaping but I captured it with my lips before it could come out and wake Iggy.

We fell back on my bed, my legs letting go of his waist. He used one of his arms to hold himself above me so he wouldn't crush me and held me to him with his other hand at my waist, right above my butt.

And then the best happened: he started _grinding_ me. I couldn't help but kiss him harder and groan at the sensation.

And then the worst happened: _I woke up_. I was laying back on my bed, in my pajamas.

My bathroom door opened and there stood Fang, hair dripping wet from the shower. He wore no shirt and a pair of dark blue flannel pajama pants borrowed from Iggy. And let me say, he was HOT! Completely toned. Six pack, everything! He was the perfect amount of muscle.

He came over to me and sat next to me on my bed. I was already in my pajamas: a tank top and shorts with ankle socks. What? My toes get cold at night…

"I had fun today. Thanks for hanging out- I know I can be a bother sometimes." I smiled at him, showing my thanks. My head already started to throb a bit, meaning that the alcohol was washing through my system.

He smirked back. "No problem at all. It was nice to catch up."

I nodded, trying to keep my eyes on his face. On his eyes. "It was."

"I should let you get some sleep." He got off my bed after giving me a one-armed hug and left my room.

I bit my lip and stared at the door with pleading eyes. He didn't come back like in my dream.

I groaned and leaned back on my bed, sighing.

Okay, so _maybe_ my feelings were still there.


	4. You're More Mature Than You Think

I woke up, scratching my head and yawning. I got out of bed and shuffled out of my room to the kitchen.

I saw a dark figure laying down on the couch and froze, wondering who it was.

Last night's events came back to me and I chuckled. "Oh yeah…" I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Iggy was at the stove, flipping pancakes.

"What time do we leave today?" He asked with a hushed voice. He didn't want to wake Fang.

I checked the clock. "Uh, I'd say we have an hour, maybe a little less. We can make it though." I got the milk out and poured two glasses: one for me and one for Iggy. "I'll fix up Fang's hangover smoothie."

"Your specialty." He joked, looking at me. His smile slipped slowly from his face as he stared at the cooking bacon. "Max… are you happy?"

I froze, getting the stuff out for the smoothie. "What do you mean?" My eyebrows drew down. Why was everyone asking me that?!

"Well, it's just… you've kinda moped around these past couple months and, well, I'm worried for you." He took the bacon off the pan and put it on a plate, setting it aside.

I took a deep breath. "Iggy, I'm fine." I chuckled. "I'm glad that you're paying attention to my life but you don't need to worry, okay?"

He hesitated before nodding. He was staring at me from the corner of his eye. "Are you going to visit her this year?" His voice was extremely quiet.

I nodded. "Yeah." I looked over at the couch where Fang was asleep. "I just hope that he can get over it."

The phone rang and I checked the Caller ID. I paled. "Oh my God! I forgot about Ella!" Fang had stayed the night and we hadn't told Ella. I hit speaker. "Ella! I am so sorry! I forgot to call you and tell you Fang was staying the night here! I am so, so, so, so, so, _so_ sorry! Please tell me you stayed home with the doors locked and stayed safe!"

Iggy had his hand to his forehead, covering his eyes with his fingers. We had been so foolish, forgetting Fang had a teen at home.

There was silence. _"Finally got laid, did he?"_ Ella chuckled.

I gaped. "Ella Wolf!" I was blushing, remembering my dreams from last night.

"Ella, quit causing trouble." Fang's voice rang out. I turned and saw he was walking over to us and the phone. "I just couldn't drive home so I crashed at Iggy's." My heart shrunk a little when he didn't say at my place but at Iggy's.

_"Why couldn't you drive home?"_ She sounded so curious.

"They went to Fun Way." Iggy said, putting the sausage and pancakes on plates, bringing them to the table. "'Nuff said."

Ella paused, thinking. _"Oh yeah! They have that bar in the basement!"_

"Ella, how do you know about the bar?" Fang asked in an angered tone.

_"Max-"_

"Don't blame this on her." Fang interrupted.

"No, Fang, I brought her to Fun Way before and told her about the bar." I informed him. I hit his chest with the back of my hand. "Don't be so quick to judge."

"Yeah, Fang, don't be so quick to judge." Ella's voice rang out of the phone.

"And, Ella, don't be so quick to mouth off." I warned.

"Yeah, Ella, don't be so quick to mouth off." Fang teased, smirking. He clutched his head and winced.

"Ell, we have to go. Take care and I better see you in class this time." I turned the phone off and made the smoothie for Fang. "Grab some Advil." I told him.

He did as I said and I handed him a cup of the smoothie. He chugged it down, swallowing the pill with it.

We all sat down at the table, digging in immediately.

"I forgot how hard a drinker you are, Max." Fang mumbled, shaking his head to wake up.

I smirked.

"That's why I don't go drinking with her. Now me? I'm classy. Glass of wine- just one- and I'm satisfied." Iggy said, biting his pancakes.

"You just can't hold down your liquor." Fang and I accused in unison. I chuckled.

"He never could." I shook my head, smiling.

"Tell me about it. Remember when we were at the rush party and he threw up in the closet after _two beers_?" Fang's eyes twinkled at the memory and I almost didn't answer, being mesmerized.

Key word: almost.

"Oh yeah! But that's not as bad as last month when we went to J.J.'s birthday party! Someone made sangria and Iggy thought it was just punch." I laughed. "He stayed in the bathroom _all_ _day_!"

Fang and I were laughing, Iggy looking between the two of us.

"Are you guys sure nothing happened yesterday? You two seem _too_ cheerful." Iggy concurred.

I glared at Iggy, blushing at the new awkward silence. I was finally able to talk to my old friend and he just had to ruin it.

---!---

"Honestly, I could never be more proud of anyone than I am of all of you." I smiled at all my choir students. I had every single one of them get a waver signed by their parents and teachers, letting them practice all day. Of course, they had lunch breaks though, and bathroom breaks. "All of you are ready to go and all so talented."

We were in the auditorium, which was decorated all Christmas-y, courtesy of Fang (due to my orders, of course). He was setting up the Christmas tree on the side of the stage. He glared at me with narrowed eyes, playfully of course. His black shirt and black pants were covered in sparkles and tinsel. _He looked like a Fairy Prince!_ I internally laughed at my thought.

All the students were sitting on the stage, on and around the bleachers. They were staring at me, listening to what I had to say.

"I understand that all of these songs were a challenge and tested all of your abilities and you all perfected them and exceeded my expectations. I am more than proud to call myself your teacher. And, to all of you here, I don't just feel like a teacher. I feel like a sister, a mother, a best friend. And I hope you all think of me in the same way." I smiled at them all warmly. "But that doesn't change the fact that I have to grade you all based on your performance." I joked. "When school is over, go straight home, get some rest, and relax. Don't go out drinking tequila," I snuck a smirk at Fang who scowled at me, untangling lights. "getting lucky, or partying but be ready by the time the concert comes tonight."

Everyone laughed and clapped, cheering and such. They were all excited for the concert. This time, with the songs all being a cappella, they had dances and moves to do as well.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" I moved aside to show the boxes. "All your clothes came in!"

Everyone cheered, excited to see what they were all wearing for the Holiday Concert. I opened the box filled with girl's clothing and held up the article of clothing.

It was a short dress, ending just above the knee and it was like Santa's clothes, with the white and the buckle. Along the end of the dress, along the bottom, was white fake fur and along the neckline, the fake fur was there too. It had spaghetti straps and was red velvet. Sitting at the waist was a black belt. Going along with the dress was a Santa hat and red gloves with the fake white fur at the wrist. Black boots with white fur at the top were going on their feet.

The girls either cheered or just smiled. It may seem slutty and all but, with all of the choir girls, they could easily pull it off tastefully.

The boys would wear a black suit with a light red shirt and darker red tie with Christmas trees on it. Their socks would be green as well, just to play it up a bit. They would also wear Santa hats.

I handed everyone their size clothes and accessories, in the girls' case, and they all had thirty minutes to chat and socialize.

I went over to Fang. "Hey there, stranger. Need help?" I offered.

He shrugged. "The only I need with is getting all this tinsel off." He scowled at the tree, placing the last ornament on.

Fang at the edge of the stage, his feet off the side. I hopped off and stood next to him, leaning against the side. I started picking tinsel off his pant leg. He moved his leg away and I looked up at his face. "What are you doing?" He asked, confusion evident on his face.

"Getting the tinsel. _Duh_." I rolled my eyes. I reached toward his leg again but he grabbed my wrist.

"Don't."

"Why not? I said I'd help you with something. I'll help you with this."

"No, just… don't," He threw my wrist back at me, getting up. "_Don't_ do that."

"Fang, what's-?"

"_Nothing. Just don't talk to me_." He sounded angry. He started walking away, out of the auditorium. I stared after him.

"Don't worry about him." A female voice came at my side and I looked to see Ella sitting next to me on the stage edge. She had her knee up and her arm propped up on it, leaning on her other hand. "He's Fang, he'll come around."

I looked at my hand and nodded slowly. "Yeah. I know." But, truth be told, I didn't. He wasn't the same Fang I knew back in college.

"Max, do you like my uncle?" Her question sounded so innocent but I blushed nonetheless.

"Of course, he's a great friend."

"No, I mean you _really_ like him. I could practically hear you blushing on the phone this morning."

I sat next to her, facing her. "You want to show people you're mature? Grown up?" She nodded. "Then you need to deal with things maturely."

"Where are you going with this?" She asked, confused.

"Honestly, you're more mature than I am." I told her. Her eyebrows shot up. "Your uncle and I were friends in high school. We weren't in the same grade but he was in Iggy's so I always saw him hanging around my house with Iggy. We all went to the same college, same time, all being early admission but your uncle was the first to leave." I sighed, looking at my feet. "Back then I liked him. And when he left, I couldn't get over the fact that he left me… and all his other friends."

"But he still kept in touch, right?" Ella asked in a haste.

"Oh yeah. With everyone… just not _me_. I could never let that go. And something I did back then must still being bugging him because he's actually so differently toward me than everyone else he's come across from our past." I looked back into her eyes. "So you see, I'm not handling things maturely therefore I am not. But you, Ella Wolf, have handled beatings and abuse in the most mature way."

She scoffed. "And what way would that be?"

"Ripping away your pride and asking for help. Also by defending yourself. Not being mature about something that serious, someone would let it continue or they wouldn't tell anyone. But you… Ella, you fought back." I smiled at her, proud of her. "You went to help when you needed it. You dealt with it better than anyone else your age would have. This is why I am so proud of you. And why I treat you more as an equal than as a student, like everyone else. Because your feelings and thoughts towards things are that of an adult's."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to know how proud of you I am. And I want to let you know that you're still a teenager. Have a little fun- behave accordingly to your age. Go party, face things aggressively, don't think about it; face it head on with no thoughts. I'm glad that you're able to sort out right and wrong but sometimes you just need to say _what the heck_. Go with your gut instead of your mind."

She smiled. "Thanks, Max." She gave me a hug.

"No problem, kiddo." I chuckled.

She pulled back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take your advice." She left the auditorium.

---!---

Ella made her way down the hall, looking around for Fang. She found him sitting on the stairs around the corner. She sat next to him.

"What's up, Buttercup?" She joked, although serious on the inside.

"Nothing." He rubbed his hand to his forehead. His hair was in his ponytail, kept out of his clear face. "Nothing that would interest you."

"Try me."

Fang looked at his niece and saw determination and stubbornness in her eyes. No matter what, she would get it out of him. He sighed and leaned his head against the rail. "I regret moving back."

Ella's eyes bugged out of her head. "_What_?! Why would you regret that? Is it because of me or…?" She trailed off, remembering what Max said. "Or is it because of Max?"

His head whipped around to face her. From his reaction, she hit the nail right on the head. "What do you know about me and Max?"

"Nothing." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Nothing that would interest you." She repeated his words from earlier.

"Ella Gloria Wolf, tell me _now_." He said, eyes flashing.

"All I know is that you two were friends in college and you left her. You never contacted her after that either." She shrugged. "What's your side of the story?"

"I left to go to New York since I had a deal for a job. Over the years, I never lost contact with anyone. Anyone except…"

"Max." Ella finished.

He nodded.

"But why? She had all the same numbers, same email, why didn't you contact her?"

He shrugged. "I was being stupid." He groaned. "Headache's coming back."

Ella took out a bottle of Advil form her pocket. "Here. Have to dry swallow though."

Fang shook his head, not wanting to know why she had the bottle. He swallowed the pill and grimaced, feeling it work its way down his throat.

"So? Why were you being stupid?"

"Why does it matter to you, Ella?"

"_Because_! Because it just does! Max isn't just my teacher, she's my friend! My _best friend_!" Ella stood, suddenly furious. "And you broke her heart! I could see it! You hurt her when you left her!"

"How would know any of this? You weren't even around-"

"She told me. Iggy told me some things too." Ella stared at him, challenging him. Daring him to prove her wrong. "Max told me that she couldn't get over the fact that you never talked to her again after you left! Iggy told me that every time he mentioned your name, she'd become all mopey and upset! Not upset as in crying but upset as in _furious_! She can't get over the fact that you left and she also can't get over the fact that you're back! What it seems like, to me, as an opinion, Max is most likely ecstatic that you're back. That she finally got a do-over with you. So don't you _dare_ say that you regret coming back here!"

Fang blinked. "There's one detail, Ella, that no one else knew."

"Oh, and what would that be?" She crossed her arms. _Oh, this better be good._

"I couldn't contact her. Even if I wanted to, I _couldn't_."

"Oh, and why's that? The pain of leaving her was too much?" She guessed sarcastically. "That you loved her too much and your heart would've been ripped to pieces if you talked to her again?" Through her whole mockery of her uncle, venom kept pouring through. She just couldn't believe that her uncle would do that to such a sweet person- to Max. _He better have had a good reason to leave her._

"Yes."

_Oh…_


	5. Tears of Remembrance

The concert was here. It was the night of the concert and I was so nervous but so proud of everyone. To my astonishment, after the bell rang signaling the end of the school day, no one left. Every one of my students stayed where they were. They stayed at the school until the time of the concert, which was, like, six hours later.

All the girls were in their dresses and the boys were in their suits but none of them had their ties tied or their jackets on. We still had twenty minutes before anybody went on so we all just freaked out backstage. Ella had avoided me the entire time too. Fang was no where to be found.

I cornered Ella. "Something wrong, Ella? You've been awfully quiet."

She stared at me. "Just nervous, that's all." She let out a shaky chuckle. This was the first time she landed a solo in a song. Of course she'd be nervous.

I gave her a hug. "Don't worry, Ell. You'll do great."

Iggy ran into the backstage room, a giant grin on his face. "Max!" He called.

I gave Ella a reassuring squeeze in the hug before stepping over to Iggy. "What?"

"We just got invited to the big Christmas Bash on Christmas Eve that Jeb is holding." He held his hand up for a high five and I slapped it slowly.

"Okay…"

"Now it's formal so we have to dress up; meaning a dress for you," I groaned at the statement coming out of my brother's mouth.

"Do I have to-?"

"Yes."

"Have to, what?" A third voice broke through.

I turned around and saw Fang standing there, suit and all, his jacket open and his hands shoved in his pockets. His red tie was loose around his neck, resting against his black dress shirt. His suit was black too.

"Max has to wear a dress." Iggy grinned, his tongue between his teeth while he snickered.

"Don't make me fire you." I warned with a serious tone, serious expression. Although I would NEVER do that to Iggy… unless I had to.

He shushed immediately.

Two minutes until they went on. I was wringing my hands together, my nerves getting the better of me.

"Don't worry." Fang's voice rang through as students ran around, getting ready to go out on stage.

"I'm not worried, I'm nervous. What if no one likes the songs? I'm not even sure if the guys showed up." I confided.

Fang shuffled behind me and gave me a hug, my arms pinned to my sides. "Like I said, don't worry. Everything will be great. You did great." He kissed my pulse point and then suddenly I was cold. I was free. Fang wasn't by me anymore- in fact, he wasn't even backstage anymore. My pulse point burned with recognition from his lips and I held back tears of remembrance.

This is one thing no one except Fang and I knew. Not Iggy, not our parents, not anyone. But, in a way, Fang didn't know part of it.

_He was my first._

In every way possible. My first kiss, my first crush, my first love, and my first time as well.

I'm sure he knew about being my first kiss but not about the other times. I mean- yeah!- he knew about that time but he had no idea he was my first. I'm sure I wasn't his but I took what I could get.

I took a deep breath, trying to rid my mind of the memories of our past, and paid attention to the beginning of the concert. The curtain was up:

_Showtime._

---!---

Everyone was joyous in the choir room, chatting happily and munching on the treats laid out and created by my chef of a brother.

The kids were there, the guys from SNC were there too, having seen the concert, some teachers and parents were there. It was a party. Nudge was there too and she was sitting at the piano with Iggy, both talking quietly.

People tapped their glasses, for a reason I did not know.

Iggy stood. Uh oh… "How about it Max? Play us a song?"

Everyone clapped and cheered, wanting me to. Even Fang was smirking in the corner. I blushed lightly and made my way to the piano.

"I don't even know what to play…" I answered honestly.

"Why not one of the songs you wrote in high school?" Nudge suggested.

I thought about which song, scanning my eyes over the people, the crowd. My heart pounded- I hadn't played in front of so many people in so long. My eyes landed on Fang for half a second longer than my gaze at anyone else. I sat down at the piano when the two got off the bench.

I started playing, the whole room quiet, save for the piano. "_Under your spell again. I can't say no to you. Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand. I can't say no to you. Shouldn't have let you torture me so sweetly now I can't let go of this dream I can't breathe but I feel Good enough I feel good enough for you._

"_Drink up sweet decadence I can't say no to you and I've completely lost myself and I don't mind I can't say no to you Shouldn't have let you conquer me completely now I can't let go of this dream can't believe that I feel Good enough I feel good enough its been such a long time coming, but I feel good and I'm still waiting for the rain to fall pour real life down on me cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough am I good enough for you to love me too? so take care what you ask of me cause I can't say no_…" **{Good Enough by Evanescence}**

I had closed my eyes as soon as the lyrics flew from my throat, moving with the music. I faintly heard a violin in the background throughout the whole song. I opened my eyes to see everyone staring in amazement. Applause was heard everywhere. I looked to my left and saw Nudge with a violin in her hands. She had heard that song before. Of course she would know about the violin needing to be in there.

I had written this song junior year, when I had started liking Fang. My life had been improving, increasing in good fortune, and I felt worthy to at least be in his presence. When I wrote that song, I had no longer felt like scum on the bottom of a scuba diver's boot.

I laughed, a little shocked at how long the applause held out. After a while, people starting chatting again, turning away from me. I was still smiling.

---!---

We had left the school ten minutes ago, going back to our place. Nudge, Ella, and Fang were in the back seat, Nudge babbling about how the band concert would totally own ours. Iggy was driving and I was in the passenger seat.

As we made our way up to the apartment building gate, I stopped in my tracks, staring at the guy waiting at the door. He held a key in his hand and there was a box by his feet. William.

My jaw almost hit the ground when I realized it was him. "_Will_? What are _you_ doing here?" I stepped forward.

He smiled at me, almost sadly. "Max, can we go inside to talk? It's cold out here."

Iggy, Nudge, Ella, and Fang were already heading up the stairs. William and I followed at a slower pace. I didn't look at him as he lugged the box up the steps.

Iggy left the door open for us so we could just head in and I saw his bedroom door shut. I'm guessing they were all pressed against the wall, trying to listen in. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"What are you doing here, Will?" I questioned, arms crossing in front of my chest.

"I came to return your stuff." There was venom in his voice. "All this shit was taking up space in my house."

"Are you sure it wasn't _your_ shit that took up space? Or _yourself_, for that matter?" I was just as bitter. I set the box on the table after he shoved it into my hands. "Why now? Why are you bringing this to me now and not before?"

"Because I didn't want to see your fugly face, that's why, _Ride_." He snarled.

Back then, it would have hurt. It would have cut deep. But not now. Now I stood my ground, not blinking, just staring at him.

"You think you're so great. You're so full of shit, that's what you are. Thinking all high and mighty. You're no better than anyone else! Hell, _I'm_ better than you! Completely better!" The vein in his neck was throbbing with rage.

"Then why was I the one who did the dumping?" I asked calmly, trying to back him into a corner- metaphorically, of course. "And you're right- I am no better than anyone else. At least I see that and don't act like an ass to people." I told him, referring to his behavior. "And, over the past year, I've improved myself." I got into a fighting stance after rolling my neck, cracking it. My hands were balled into fists. "So you want to fight, let's fight. But I won't be on the floor this time. You will. And I will show no mercy!"

He lunged at me and I spun, landing a roundhouse kick to his gut. I knocked him to the side and tried coming at me again. Why I ever dated this abusive asshole was beyond me. I think maybe it was because I was on the rebound from Fang leaving me. As he jumped at me, I rammed my fist into his cheek, snapping his head to the side. He stumbled and backed away, hand wiping his mouth while he laughed. "Well, well, you weren't joking." He started walking toward the door. "But just know, Max, I have ways." With that, he left my apartment.

I sighed and relaxed my tensed body. I went to the box and opened it, seeing everything destroyed. I had left clothes at his house and now they were all slashed. A picture of us was ripped and burned, my face no longer there but his intact. I ripped it to pieces.

I lifted the old notebook out and opened the pages, seeing blackened paper or blank paper.

Iggy's door opened.

"Is that your old song book?" Iggy asked, looking at the familiar blue cover.

I nodded and furiously threw it on the floor with a shriek of rage. He had destroyed my songs- deleting them from history. These were the only copies and he destroyed them- they weren't in my memory any more so I couldn't reproduce them even if I wanted to. Tears burned the back of my eyes and I sighed, spinning on my heel and heading to my bedroom.

I sat on my bed, breathing heavy. Tears fell from my eyes, all my memories of that horrible relationship coming back. These tears… _Tears of Remembrance_… always came whenever something reminding me of someone. Mostly William or Fang. Tears for William as fear or rage… tears for Fang as longing and sorrow.

My door opened and I immediately started wiping furiously at my eyes, embarrassed to be showing weakness. Arms wrapped around me and I almost broke down again.

"It's okay, Max. Remember what you told me? Follow your heart sometimes, not your mind? Follow your heart now and just let it go." Ella whispered to me.

I cried into her shoulder, my own shaking, body wracking with my silent sobs, her dress soaked from the tears. My arms wrapped around her, nails almost ripping apart the skin in her back, my emotions were so crazy.

I wasn't crying because of William showing up, or the fact he destroyed my past in my notebook…

I was crying because here I was crying and Fang wasn't here to comfort me like in the past.

He wasn't here holding me, wasn't here whispering reassuring words in my ear, wasn't here to just be here. Not like he used to…

I cried my Tears of Remembrance because the Fang I had loved was gone- he was in the past. The Fang I knew now wasn't the same one I fell in love with all those years ago.

I cried my Tears of Remembrance because images of a teenage Fang flew around in my head, memories swimming about, reminding me of what I once had. Of what was gone. Of what I couldn't ever have ever again. Ever.

**Happy New Year, everyone! Hope this chapter was good for you!! I feel so sick, using William as her ex abusive boyfriend but I was running out of names. I would have used Dylan but I had already used him as a friend so...but William Pruitt. Ick!! Anyway, I'm sorry if this chapter is short for you but it's four am where I am and I'm exhausted. I'll update soon and I MIGHT create another story once I'm done with this one, IGYW, and Roommates. Here's what I'm thinking it could be:**

**_Max is a rockstar. Fang is just a normal boy in a band with his friends. They have no idea that the other one exists...or the fact that they were made for each other. So when these two meet at a concert and immediately shart hating one another, what happens? What happens when Fate- or should I say Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel- interferes? They wind up hacing to spend more time with one another than they like but they soon find out that they have more in common than they thought: like the fact that people will do anything to be with them, even break them apart first. What will happen to their lives when they're pulled apart after finally accepting one another?_**

**So there's the really long summary. Heeheehee, that'll be posted at the beginning of every chapter, as a reminder. I'm already writing it out but I won't be posting it until after I'm done with everything else. I think I'm going to call it _Rockstar Blues_. But I'm not sure about that one yet...Anyway, review and let me know what you think about this chapter and the summary above. Would any of you read it??**

**~Amy-Katherine~**


	6. Secrets of the CD

I sighed and looked to my right at my bed where Ella had fallen asleep last night. I slipped on a new shirt and put my hair up into a ponytail, lifting my leg to bump her shoulder.

She sat up almost immediately. "Hmm? Wha-?" She rubbed her eyes, looking around. "Oh, yeah. Morning, Max."

"Morning, El. Come on, we should go." I walked over to my bedroom door and opened it with Ella by my side.

Ella went straight to the kitchen to help Iggy prepare breakfast. Fang was sitting on the couch, a CD in his hands. He was playing with the case it was in, holding it in one hand and slapping it against his other repeatedly.

"Keep that up and it'll break." I told him, smirking. I had decided last night that I would put past my feelings for him from a long time ago. Put away all my old love and look at him and see not Fang that I used to love but Fang my friend.

He looked at me and chuckled. "Nervous habit."

"As always." I added, smiling as I sat down next to him. "So, what's on the CD?"

"Not much. I'm still filling it up." He was looking around the room, sniffing the bacon scented air. I couldn't blame him, though, I was sniffing it too.

But I stared at him, smiling widely. "You're still writing music?"

He flushed but nodded, still not looking at me. "Yeah. All my recent songs are going to be on here. Amongst others…"

"Like…" I prompted. To say I was happy was an understatement. I mean, the fact that Fang was writing again… it made me overjoyed. This was Fang: if he wasn't writing then something was wrong. Doesn't matter if he was the Fang I loved or Fang my friend, it would be wrong for him not to write.

He didn't answer so I took the CD and zipped over to the stereo system. "_Max_!" He all but whined.

"Too bad, Fang. You didn't answer me so I'm playing it." I smirked at him while I put the CD in.

"They're yours…" He mumbled.

I turned before pressing play. "Excuse me?" That's impossible. No one was ever around when I recorded my songs or even knew that I recorded them.

"The other songs on there are yours. Some of your old ones, some of the new." He scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable.

"How'd you-?"

"Uncle Fang made me sneak out your old recordings last night when you were asleep." Ella called from the kitchen, coming over to us.

The apartment door burst open and Nudge stood in the doorway. "I smell bacon, breakfast ready yet?"

I laughed and pointed over to Iggy who was flipping pancakes. She walked over and Iggy smiled at her. I raised an eyebrow at them.

"Yeah, here, Nudge. Help me with the pancakes." He pulled her in front of him and handed her the spatula. His hands went to her waist.

"Iggy, remember, we're right here." I reminded him. He tilted his head to look over his shoulder to frown at me. I winked at him before he turned back to Nudge and the food.

Fang had gotten up while I had been talking to Iggy and he grabbed the CD. I pouted at him, hoping he'd let me hear. "Not yet." He tapped the case to my head while I scowled at him.

"Party pooper." I mumbled, going over to the kitchen table to set it up for everyone to eat.

**--!--**

"Okay, everyone!" I yelled from my office. We were at school and all my students for first period were in the classroom, Fang and Iggy near the piano. I came out. "You all did excellent at the concert!"

Everyone was sitting on the risers, looking exhausted. They still managed to clap at my enthusiasm.

Angel raised her hand and I looked at her pointedly, letting her know that it was alright to speak. "Max, since our next concert is in three months, can we just relax in class?"

I paused. "Depending on your definition of relax."

"Like… we just chill and we still sing and stuff but not preparing for the concert."

I pursed my lips. "Well, Nudge and I were thinking about combining band and choir into one thing where everyone has a band- you know, drums, guitar, keyboard, singer- and then that's what's performing at concerts. It'll help with preparing for a musical career and it's fun."

Iggy laughed. "You just don't want to teach so you have time to write."

"Iggy, you're wrong." I smirked. "That's only one reason."

"You write, Max?" Frankie asked from the risers, another student. She was a junior.

I nodded. "Yes, I write songs. And I'm performing at Mr. Betchelder's faculty party. That's why I'm writing. But I do want you all to perform as bands. Nudge and I need to see the songs to approve them. If they're not approved, you can't play them."

Everyone started getting excited.

The choir door opened and West walked in, Iggy and Fang scowling at his entrance. "Max! _Maxie_!" He smiled really wide.

"West, what have I told you?" I almost snarled.

He frowned. "Hello, Ms. Ride." He replied monotonously.

I barley held in a smirk. "What are you doing here?" I asked, stepping over to the piano.

He followed, completely ignoring everyone else. "I don't have class this period and was wondering if you wanted to grab some breakfast at the diner down the street." He looked so confident.

I blinked before rolling my eyes at him. "West, unlike you, I have a class that people actually sign up for. And my students are here, I have class." I gestured to all my students on the risers.

"Some other time then..." Oh so cocky…

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear at Fun Way," I threatened lightly.

Fang and Iggy stood behind me, arms crossed.

"I think it's time you left, Sam." Fang said.

"Fang, escort Mr. West back to his class and make sure he doesn't leave the room as soon as you walk away." I ordered lightly.

"Gladly." Fang stepped forward and grabbed at Sam's arm, pulling him out of the room.

Iggy leaned against the piano and everyone stared at me.

"Max, I've never seen you so serious." Gazzy stated. "Except for when you punched him over the weekend."

"_What_?!" Almost all the other students screamed in unison, facing Gazzy and Angel. They were all smiling, excited.

I rolled my eyes and stepped over to the band room door. Iggy grabbed my arm and I turned to him.

His eyebrows were up and I could tell he was thinking about what to say.

I smiled. "Go get her, Pyro."

He smiled at me widely before engulfing me in a hug.

"Max! _Max, Max, Max_!" Ella ran into the room, waving something in the air frantically, a giant smile gracing her pretty face.

"What, what, what?" I laughed at her excitement.

"Okay, so, like, you know that notebook William destroyed?" I swear to God, her cheeks were about to fall off, her smile was so big.

I nodded. "Yeah…"

"Well," She flipped her hair out of her eyes and held an old notebook in her hands. "I scanned it during class, all the pages, and was able to find all the words! All the black pages were covered in Sharpie so the computer could find the pen behind it and then the ones he erased, he didn't erase it completely. I was able to put all the songs back together and I recreated the entire notebook during Computer Art class."

I gently took the notebook form her hands and flipped through. Surely enough, there was my old handwriting on each page, only scanned on new paper. I looked up at her and hugged her tightly. "Ella, that was really sweet." I pulled away, wiping my eye. "But you should still be in class."

She shook her head. "No, Computer Mike said I could leave since I mentioned that it was yours." Mike not only taught Computer Design, Computer Tech, but also Computer Art, since he knew all the programs.

Fang walked in, rolling his eyes but froze when he saw Ella. He looked up at me, worry in his eyes and I shook my head. He had thought she ran to me because someone was after her again.

Ella grabbed the notebook and flipped through the pages, stopping at one before shoving me over to the piano as Iggy and Nudge walked in, hand in hand.

"Play it!" Ella commanded.

I rolled my eyes but looked at the paper, suddenly remembering the song. I blushed as I got in position.

_Just a day,  
__Just an ordinary day.  
__Just trying to get by.  
__Just a boy,  
__Just an ordinary boy._

I opened my eyes and looked over to Fang for a moment before flashing my eyes back to the paper. I had written this song when he left all of us. When I had turned down the offer to a recording contract. Iggy and Nudge had set up instruments in the room the night before and Iggy was playing the drums while Nudge was playing her violin again.

_But he was looking to the sky.  
__And as he asked if I would come along  
__I started to realize  
__That everyday he finds  
__Just what he's looking for,  
__Like a shooting star he shines._

I was moving with the music, the lyrics. I remember exactly how I felt when I wrote this. When Fang had left, he hadn't said anything to me. At all. And every night since he had left, for a week, I imagined what he could- SHOULD- have said to me when he found he was leaving. When he found out about my contract.

_He said take my hand,  
__Live while you can  
__Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand  
__And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words  
__Although they did not feel  
__For I felt what I had not felt before  
__And you'd swear those words could heal._

Anything he said to me, moved me. It made me love him more. I knew that. I always had. And, as I was singing, I realized I couldn't let go of my old feelings for him. But I knew I had to deal.

_And as I looked up into those eyes  
__His vision borrows mine.  
__And I know he's no stranger,  
__For I feel I've held him for all of time.  
__And he said take my hand,  
__Live while you can  
__Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand  
__In the palm of your hand._

I knew him. He knew me. Inside and out. Forever and always, no matter how much we changed over the years. I resisted the urge to look back over at him.

_Please come with me,  
__See what I see.  
__Touch the stars for time will not flee.  
__Time will not flee.  
__Can you see?  
__Just a dream, just an ordinary dream.  
__As I wake in bed  
__And the boy, that ordinary boy  
__Or was it all in my head?  
__Did he asked if I would come along  
__It all seemed so real.  
__But as I looked to the door,  
__I saw that boy standing there with a deal._

Every night I dreamt of going with him, every time I woke up, the dream really did seem real. But it wasn't. He had left. I understand that.

_And he said take my hand,  
__Live while you can,  
__Don't you see all your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand  
__In the palm of your hand,  
__In the palm of your hand.  
__Just a day, just an ordinary day  
__Just trying to get by.  
__Just a boy,  
__Just an ordinary boy.  
__But he was looking to the sky._

He was looking at his dreams, not mine, when he left. I should have accepted that a long time ago.

**_[Ordinary Day by Vanessa Carlton]_**

I sighed and took my fingers off the keys. I looked at everyone and they all seemed… stunned would be a good word but it wouldn't have cut it. Astonished! That fits better! Yeah, so, they all seemed so astonished by the way I performed.

"By combining band and choir, you all could perform like that. Who's up for it?" I said, acting like it was to sponsor the idea.

Everyone raised their hands and Angel and Gazzy ran down the risers to me. Angel grabbed the notebook and flipped through.

"Hey, I know this song!" She pointed to _Hallelujah_. "But why is it in your personal notebook, Max?"

I looked at Ella.

She bit her lip. "Okay, I _may_ have added some of your favorite songs…" She admitted sheepishly.

"Can we hear, Max?" Omega was leaning against the secret staircase.

"When did-?"

"While you were playing." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. Of course. That's Omega for you: _Ninja_ _Boy_!

_Well I've heard there was a secret chord  
David played and it pleased the Lord  
__But you don't really care for music, do ya ?  
__Well it goes like this:  
__The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift  
__The baffled king composing Hallelujah  
__Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
__Well your fatih was strong but you needed proof  
__You saw her bathing on the roof  
__Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you  
__She tied you to her kitchen chair  
__She broke your throne, she cut your hair  
__And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah  
__Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
__Oh baby I have been here before  
__I've seen this room and I've walked this floor  
__You know I used to live alone before I knew you  
__And I've seen your flag on the marble arch  
__And love is not a victory march  
__It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah  
__Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
__Well there was a time when you let me know  
__What's really going on below  
__But now you never show that to me do you  
__And remember when I moved in you  
__The holy dove was moving too  
__And every breath we drew was Hallelujah  
__Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
__Well maybe there is a God above  
__But all I've ever learned from love  
__Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you  
__And it's not a cry you that hear at night  
__It's not somebody who's seen the light  
__It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah  
__Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu  
__Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

**_[Hallelujah by Kate Voegele]_**

I sighed and leaned back, looking back at all my students. "You know, you can choose from my songs, they're all copyrighted."

Everyone ran up and started looking through the notebook, taking turns.

"Yo, Max!" Greg yelled over the happy chattering. He was one of my sophomore students. I looked at him. "Can we join the bands with other periods?"

"No, because you don't have the class together, unless your schedule can be changed around, which is _most_ _unlikely_. You can be with people from this choir period and this period band."

Everyone started chatting excitedly and I stood, going over to my office.

Fang was sitting on the couch and was staring at me as I sat in my chair.

"May I help you?" I asked, being polite but also showing annoyance through my tone.

"What's the real reason you denied the contract?" He blurted out.

It shocked me so much, I dropped the index cards I was holding. The scattered on the floor. I got off my chair and started getting them together but froze when Fang started to gather them as well.

"I already told you, Fang. I wanted a degree."

"Yes, but actually becoming a hit cancels out a degree." He stated. "Tell me the _real_ reason- I know that that answer is bullshit."

I rolled my eyes and took cards from his hands, placing them on my desk. "There's nothing else to tell."

He grabbed my upper arm. "_Max_," His tone was warning.

"_Fang_," I copied, slowly pulling my arm away. "Besides, why should I tell you? You don't care."

I stood as did Fang. He grabbed my arm once again. "You're wrong, Max, I do care. I care a lot."

I laughed a dry laugh. "Oh, yeah, sure, you care. Just like you said you cared before you left for New York." I ripped my arm out of his hold and pointed to the door. "Go, your Nudge's assistant now. Go to the band room."

He stood there, his hand still up from when he held my arm with such a gentleness, I had shivered at the touch.

"That's an _order_ as your _boss_." I stated sternly.

His hand fell to his side and he back out of my office before properly walking to the band room.

I sighed and leaned against my desk, only to have my fingers touch something plastic and foreign. I grabbed the object, knowing it was a square. I looked at it: it was a CD case with a CD on each part, one a CD the other a DVD. Both had my name written on the top in neat, script writing.

I looked at it and then my stereo system, biting my lip. It couldn't be…?


	7. CD Secret Revealed but Whats On The DVD?

As soon as school let out, I immediately ran to my car to drive home before Iggy. I had a feeling that only I was supposed to see the CD.

When I got to the apartment building, I jumped up the stairs, skipping a couple steps, trying to get up faster. I got to my floor and went to open the door but someone calling my name stopped me. I suppressed a groan and turned around.

It was Gazzy and Angel's mother, Jeanne. "Max, I just wanted to say thanks for taking the kids out a while ago. I was so busy, I forgot to thank you."

"It was no problem. I had fun with those two." I smiled at her politely.

She shuffled her feet. "Listen, they look up to you, despite the fact that they're both teens." She smiled, trying to look persuasive. I instantly prepared myself- I knew something bad was going to happen. "Ryan and I… are going through a rough patch and- well, I don't want Angel and Gazzy to deal with us fighting all the time. Do you think they could live with you and Iggy for a while?"

My heart seized. I knew what she meant: her and her husband, Ryan, were getting a divorce. And they didn't want to deal with their children being around. So, they were going to dump them on me.

"Jeanne," I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "Listen, I don't-"

"Just think about it. I'll give you two days." She up and ran down the stairs, away from me. I couldn't believe it: Jeanne wanted to abandon her children.

Well, Angel and Gazzy always said that their mother never cared- I just didn't think it was true.

I turned and opened the apartment door, closing it behind me once I stepped in. I tossed my bag on the floor after taking the CD case out.

I shuffled my feet and slowly made my way to the entertainment system. I put the CD in and pressed play, sitting in my black leather recliner. I leaned back and stared at the CD case, the back, to see a song list.

Song 1: You and I

My eyebrows furrowed. I didn't recognize that title… And there was no band name under it. As the song came on and I heard the singer's voice, I gasped. It was Fang. It was his song. This was his CD, his songs.

_Without you, there's no reason for my story_

_And when I'm with you I can always act the same_

_Forever, yeah if we're together_

_We can make it better_

_You and I_

_We never get to sleep we're up all day_

_We're overworked and under paid_

_You and I_

_We're always stuck in repeat day by day_

_Watching time drift away as we burn away_

_Without you, there's no reason for my story_

_And when I'm with you I can always act the same_

_Forever, yeah if we're together_

_We can make it better_

_You and I_

_We've never felt so right_

_That just might be just what I need (to get me through the night)_

_You and I_

_We're the perfect fit you've got me hooked_

_So then I could never never quit, I just burn away_

_Without you, there's no reason for my story_

_And when I'm with you I can always act the same_

_Forever, yeah if we're together_

_We can make it better_

_Oh oh oh-oh oh oh-oh [x2]_

_Without you, there's no reason for my story_

_And when I'm with you I can always act the same_

_Forever, yeah if we're together_

_We can make it... We can make it..._

_[x2]_

_Without you, there's no reason for my story_

_And when I'm with you I can always act the same_

_Forever, yeah if we're together_

_We can make it better_

_Oh oh oh-oh oh oh-oh [x2]_ I sniffled and opened the CD case, noticing a piece of paper behind the CD holder on the left part.

_Song 1: You And I= Because it's true, Max. Ask anyone, they'll say I'm empty but when I'm with you, I can be myself._

I took a deep breath as I read the next part.

_Song 2: I'll Follow You Into The Dark= If you were ever gone, I would follow after you, even if I had no idea where you went. When you're out of this world, I will be too. And I'll do exactly that: Follow You Into The Dark._

_Love of mine some day you will die _

_But I'll be close behind _

_I'll follow you into the dark _

_No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white _

_Just our hands clasped so tight _

_Waiting for the hint of a spark _

_If heaven and hell decide _

_That they both are satisfied _

_Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs _

_If there's no one beside you _

_When your soul embarks _

_Then I'll follow you into the dark _

_In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule _

_I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black _

_And I held my tongue as she told me _

_"Son fear is the heart of love" _

_So I never went back _

_If heaven and hell decide _

_That they both are satisfied _

_Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs _

_If there's no one beside you _

_When your soul embarks _

_Then I'll follow you into the dark _

_You and me have seen everything to see _

_From Bangkok to Calgary _

_And the soles of your shoes are all worn down _

_The time for sleep is now _

_It's nothing to cry about Cause we'll hold each other soon _

_The blackest of rooms _

_If heaven and hell decide _

_That they both are satisfied _

_Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs _

_If there's no one beside you _

_When your soul embarks _

_Then I'll follow you into the dark _

_Then I'll follow you into the dark_

I kept taking deep breaths, unable to believe that Fang made this for me. And these were all his songs! His songs always came from the heart.

I looked at the case again.

_Song 3: I Will Possess Your Heart= Hopefully this will be true, soon. I would like to be the only one to hold your heart and I hope you will allow me to willingly. Let me reach your heart Max…_

Most of the song was just instrumental and I felt like it went on forever. It sounded a little indie- ish. But, a little more than half way through, lyrics came in.

_How I wish you could see the potential,_

_the potential of you and me._

_It's like a book elegantly bound but,_

_in a language that you can't read._

_Just yet._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_There are days when outside your window_

_I see my reflection as I slowly pass,_

_and I long for this mirrored perspective_

_when we'll be lovers, lovers at last._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_I will possess your heart._

_I will possess your heart._

_You reject my... advances... and desperate pleas..._

_I won't let you... let me down... so easily._

_So easily._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_You gotta spend some time, Love._

_You gotta spend some time with me._

_And I know that you'll find, love_

_I will possess your heart._

_I will possess your heart._

_I will possess your heart._

I decided to give up on breathing and thinking and let the tears fall down my face. I read the next description through blurry eyes.

_Song 4: You and Me= There is no Me by myself. Only you near me makes me, me. There are a lot of girls out there but there's only one for me._

_What day is it? And in what month?_

_This clock never seemed so alive_

_I can't keep up and I can't back down_

_I've been losing so much time_

_'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do_

_Nothing to lose_

_And it's you and me and all other people_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

_One of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right_

_I'm tripping on words_

_You've got my head spinning_

_I don't know where to go from here_

_'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do_

_Nothing to prove_

_And it's you and me and all other people_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

_There's something about you now_

_I can't quite figure out_

_Everything she does is beautiful_

_Everything she does is right_

_'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do_

_Nothing to lose_

_And it's you and me and all other people_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

_and me and all other people with nothing to do_

_Nothing to prove_

_And it's you and me and all other people_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you_

_What day is it?_

_And in what month?_

_This clock never seemed so alive_

Every minute in our old relationship had weight. We just hadn't known. I felt so stupid for letting him go. And… And, I think he felt stupid for leaving me…

_Song 5: Hanging By A Moment= Every moment I spent with you was amazing, I knew that then and I know that now. There's no one else in this world I would want to spend my life with._

_Desperate for changing _

_Starving for truth _

_I'm closer to where I started _

_Chasing after you _

_I'm falling even more in love with you _

_Letting go of all I've held onto _

_I'm standing here until you make me move _

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you _

_Forgetting all I'm lacking _

_Completely incomplete _

_I'll take your invitation _

_You take all of me now... _

_I'm falling even more in love with you _

_Letting go of all I've held onto _

_I'm standing here until you make me move _

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you _

_I'm living for the only thing I know _

_I'm running and not quite sure where to go _

_And I don't know what I'm diving into _

_Just hanging by a moment here with you _

_There's nothing else to lose _

_There's nothing else to find _

_There's nothing in the world _

_That can change my mind _

_There is nothing else _

_There is nothing else _

_There is nothing else _

_Desperate for changing _

_Starving for truth _

_I'm closer to where I started _

_Chasing after you.... _

_I'm falling even more in love with you _

_Letting go of all I've held onto _

_I'm standing here until you make me move _

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you _

_I'm living for the only thing I know _

_I'm running and not quite sure where to go _

_And I don't know what I'm diving into _

_Just hanging by a moment here with you _

_Just hanging by a moment (here with you) _

_Hanging by a moment (here with you) _

_Hanging by a moment here with you_

I sighed and looked at the CD case once I wiped all the tears away from my eyes. I let a loud laugh out of my mouth as I read the description, remembering it.

_Song 6: Cross My Heart= Well, you should know this one. We wrote it together, remember? And thanks for playing the guitar in the recording. ;)_

_So here's another day _

_I'll spend away from you _

_Another night I'm on _

_Another broken avenue _

_The bag is ripped and worn _

_Then again now so am I _

_Take what you wanna take _

_What you wanna take _

_What you... _

_I miss the stupid things _

_We'd go to sleep at night _

_You'd wake me up and kick me out of bed at 3 am _

I laughed at that one. I sort of had to so no one knew what we had been doing. Mom and Dad would have killed him and Iggy would have killed me for sleeping with his best friend.

_Pick up the phone _

_I hear you saying dirty things to me _

Oh, so totally complete bullshit. We'd call each other all the time but it wouldn't be anything dirty!! Stupid ass…

_Do what you wanna do _

_What you wanna do _

_What you... _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me home _

_Don't wanna be alone tonight _

_And I do want to show you, I _

_Will run to you, to you till I _

_Can't stand on my own anymore, I _

_Cross my heart and hope to die _

He'd never say I Promise. Always cross my heart…

_Cross my heart and hope to die _

_Cross my heart and hope to... _

_The tales are all the same _

_You're still away from me _

_Another day, another dollar that I'll never see _

_Gonna get a piece _

_The pieces _

_The piece of something good _

_Lie just a little lie _

_Just a little lie _

_Just a... _

_(So wrong) _

_I wonder what your doing _

_I wonder if you got it _

_I wonder how we used to ever go so long without it _

_No matter where I go _

_I'm coming back to you _

_Be where we ought to be _

_Where we ought to be _

_Where we... _

Oh my god… I closed my eyes and sighed. I had thought that he would never come back to me but he did. His promise was right there but I never saw it… I'm such a fool…

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me home _

_Don't wanna be alone tonight _

_And I do want to show you, I _

_Will run to you, to you till I _

_Can't stand on my own anymore, I _

_Cross my heart and hope to die _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me with you _

_I start to miss you _

_Take me home _

_Don't wanna be alone tonight _

_And I do want to show you, I _

_Will run to you, to you till I _

_Can't stand on my own anymore, I _

_Cross my heart and hope to die _

_And I do want to show you, I _

_Will run to you, to you till I _

_Can't stand on my own anymore, I _

_Cross my heart and hope to die _

_And I do want to show you, I _

_Will run to you, to you till I _

_Can't stand on my own anymore, I _

_Cross my heart and hope to die _

_And I do want to show you, I _

_Will run to you, to you till I _

_Can't stand on my own anymore, I _

_Cross my heart and hope to die_

I put my recliner back so I was lying down. I couldn't believe it- I was such an idiot!! He promised me he would come back but I didn't believe him but… he did. He did and I'm guessing he had a reason…

_Song 7: Beside You= Even if I'm never literally beside you, my heart will be. I hope you took good care of it when I was in New York…_

_When your tears are spent on your last pretense _

_And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense _

_When it's in your spine like you've walked for miles _

_And the only thing you want is just to be still for a while _

_If your heart wears thin _

_I will hold you up _

_And I will hide you when it gets too much _

_I'll be right beside you _

_I'll be right beside you _

_When you're overwhelmed and you've lost your breath _

_When the space between the things you know is blurry nonetheless _

_When you try to speak but you make no sound _

_And the words you want are out of reach but they've never been so loud _

_If your heart wears thin _

_I will hold you up _

_And I will hide you when it gets too much _

_I'll be right beside you _

_I'll be right beside you _

_I will stay _

_Nobody will break you _

_Trust in me, trust in me _

_Don't pull away _

_Trust in me, trust in me _

_I'm just trying to keep this together _

_Cause I could do worse and you could do better _

_Tears are spent on your last pretense _

_And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense _

_If your heart wears thin _

_I will hold you up _

_And I will hide you when it gets too much _

_I'll be right beside you _

_Nobody will break you _

_If your heart wears thin _

_I will hold you up _

_And I will hide you when it gets too much _

_I'll be right beside you _

_Nobody will break you_

I ran my fingers through my hair. He needs to stop. I couldn't take it. I felt so freaking guilty for giving up on him, for not trusting him. I should have kept that trust.

_Song 8: Celebrity Status= I was so stupid, Max. New York was a bust. I was blinded by money and possible fame and I wasn't able to see anything in front of me, the best thing that ever happened to me ever: you. I wanted to bring you with but you would just be the topic of gossip and rude things would have been said about you. I didn't want you to be miserable in New York while I was living my dream. I wanted you to be happy. But I don't think I made the right choice… I'm sorry, Max, and I hope you can forgive me…_

That message alone made more tears trickle from my eyes.

_I look around, round, look around and look it over, _

_I take it up- up, take it out and, take you nowhere, _

_Trading in who I've been for shiny celebrity skin_

_I like to push it and, push it until my luck is over._

_It never stop stops, never stops, well you better, _

_Think it over prima Donna you don't want to sever, _

_All the works to impress, charming girls out of their dresses, _

_And smiling pretty, well pretty will swallow you forever_

_Step one, step two, step three repeat_

_And I pray at the church, of asses in the seats, _

_And disappear behind the beat, yeah_

_When the mirrors and the lights_

_And the smoke clear I'd never guess_

_How we ever could have got here._

_You can say what you say_

_When the lights go down_

_So shake, shake, shake, _

_And shut your mouth_

_I wonder why, why, I wonder why, why I ought to, _

_Let you wreck, resurrect whatever you want to._

_I can't depend, in the end you know_

_I thought you were my friend._

_Just stop, just stop, just stop I think I got it._

_Sorry you, sorry me, sorry every in between, _

_Sorry everybody he will never be somebody clean._

_There's a piece of me they're throwing back at us, _

_And they will buy you and sell you for celebrity status_

_Step one, step two, step three repeat_

_And I pray at the church of asses in the seats_

_I disappear behind beat, yeahhhh_

_When the mirrors and the lights_

_And the smoke clear, I'd never guess_

_How we ever coulda got here._

_You can say what you say _

_When the lights go down_

_So shake, shake, shake, _

_And shut your mouth_

_When the mirrors and the lights_

_And the smoke clear, I'd never guess_

_How we ever coulda got here._

_You can say what you say_

_When the lights go down_

_So shake, shake, shake _

_And shut your mouth_

_(Look around round, look around round, look around)x5_

_I'm tryin' I'm tryin' I'm tryin' (Look around round, look around round, look around)_

_I'm tryin' I'm tryin' I'm tryin' (Look around round, look around round, look around)_

_I'm tryin' I'm tryin' I'm tryin' (Look around round, look around round, look around)_

_I'm tryin' I'm tryin' I'm tryin' (Look around round, look around round, look around)_

_When the mirrors and the lights_

_And the smoke clear I'd never guess_

_How we ever coulda got here._

_You can say what you say_

_When the lights go down_

_So shake, shake, shake, _

_And shut your mouth_

_When the mirrors and the lights_

_And the smoke clear I'd never guess_

_How we ever coulda got here._

_You can say what you say_

_When the lights go down_

_So shake, shake, shake, _

_And shut your mouth_

_I'm tryin' I'm tryin' I'm tryin'_

I sighed, my whole body shaking with held back sobs. I had no idea…

"_Max, I'm sorry. I truly am." _Fang voice came off the CD and I stilled. He sighed. _"Look, I know I was an ass and a total and complete idiot. And if this CD do anything and you still hate, I understand. And if this didn't do anything at all then the DVD will make you kill me."_ He chuckled nervously. _"Remember how Marian was obsessed with videotaping us and taking pictures of us? Well, I went to my mom and dad and got her old footage and… well, you can look for yourself but I don't- I don't think you'd like it." _I laughed silently, staring at the CD player. He always babbled when he was nervous or uncomfortable. _"But anyway, this is the last thing I want to say to you before I end this CD,"_ There was a small pause. And then, _"Je vous aime, je toujours ai et je toujours ferai." _I put a hand to my mouth and silenced my ragged breathing. _"I just thought you should know…"_

I stayed on the recliner, just crying my eyes out, so not myself. And what, you may ask, did he say to me?

_I love you, I always have and always will._

**I know it may have sucked and there would have been more but my parents keep grilling me about the Winter Olympics so they're making me sign off the computer. This whole chapter was twenty pages. Yepp, you read right, the big 2-0. Anyway, it was only so big because of the songs. And here's the disclaimer for the songs:**

**#1: by Anarbor  
#2 and 3: by Death Cab For Cutie  
#4 and 5: by Lifehouse  
#6, 7, and 8: by Marianas Trench**

**So there you have it. I know this chapter probably sucked but it was the best I could do today and I wanted to get it out sooner but I was busy.**


	8. Iggy, By The Way, I Slept With Your BFF

I sighed and ran my hand through my curls. A hand slapped at mine and I pulled it back, clutching it to my chest.

"Don't touch your hair! I want it perfect!" Nudge scolded.

I winced. "Sorry, Nudge." I didn't even have it in me to retort with a sarcastic remark.

Nudge noticed. "Hey," She called at me softly before sitting next to me on my bed. She placed a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "You okay? You've acted so out of it this past week,"

I shrugged, not answering. Truth is, after hearing the CD, I didn't want to watch the DVD. I knew I would cry even more. If not from the realization of Fang's feelings, then from seeing Marian again. If anything, I was not ready to see an old friend again. And the day after I heard the CD, Fang stopped talking to me, stopped being in the same room as me, and stopped working around me altogether. Every time I'd enter a room, he'd leave. The only time he was in the same room as me was when Iggy or Nudge forced him.

Angel and Gazzy's parents tried forcing them on me but I called my mom and, since she didn't live all too far from the school, she said she'd be delighted to let them live with her. So they are. Papers signed and everything. Although, I'm sure Gazzy and Angel are pretty pissed at their parents. They both moved to different states but I'm betting that they just said that and they ditched their old life to start anew. Those bastards…

"Okay," Nudge said, standing back up. "You don't want to talk about it. I understand. But I'll always be here for you. Know that." She tugged at my hand. "Come on. Time to get dressed."

Today was the day of the Holiday Party for the staff of the High School. Some students were allowed but only the ones that got along with the teachers and such. It was formal so I had to wear a dress. Lissa made it for me last year for my birthday and she was going to be there so I just had to wear it.

…It was pink.

Other than that, it wasn't that bad.

Anyway, the party was for Christmas, New Years, Valentine's, and some others around there since it was held at the beginning of February.

Nudge styled my brown hair into perfect ringlets framing my face and barely put on any makeup. She left my room to let me get ready.

The dress was floor length, it was light pink/rose pink. The top was a bit… revealing but it still covered me. It had the halter top style with an open back and, in between the breasts, a strip of fabric connected the two. The strip of fabric was either dark blue or black and there were sparkles everywhere. The dark colored sparkles created a design on the chest to look like lapels. It was actually a really gorgeous dress despite the fact that it was a dress. **(Picture on Profile)**

… And pink, but I digress.

I slipped the dress on and put on the crazy-beaded necklace. The beads looked like pink pearls but they weren't. At least… I don't think they were.

I put my heels on, just simple silver strapped heels, and headed for the door. As I opened the door, I looked up and saw Nudge putting an earring in her ear.

She was wearing a puffy, light blue, strapless dress that went to the floor. You couldn't even see her feet, like with mine. **(Picture on Profile)**

My heart immediately sunk and I felt so plain compared to Nudge. She looked as gorgeous as ever and I just looked out of my element, in a dress. I don't even know why I let her talk me into wearing it.

"Lissa's going to be so happy that you're actually using her gift!" Nudge squealed, fixing her now straight hair.

_Oh yeah, that's why_. She totally guilt tripped me into doing this.

I sighed. "I don't know why you insisted I wear it. I look weird."

She hit my arm.

"_Ow_!" I complained.

"Max, don't even think that! You look gorgeous!" She praised, trying to convince me.

I nodded. "Okay, I believe you," _Not…_

Iggy came out of his room wearing a tux. I raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

I blinked, still shocked. "You- you even took your earring out and… you combed your hair?!" My eyes were wide. He never combed his hair and he never ever took his earring out unless he was swimming!

Iggy scuffed his shoe on the floor, blushing a bit, looking down. I looked at Nudge and saw that the earring she was wearing was Iggy's.

I cleared my throat. "Let's go, shall we? Don't want to be late," I tried breaking the silence and it worked.

They both smiled.

"Nudge, you go down first. I'd like to talk to my sister," Iggy stated, looking at her. She nodded and left, the door closing behind her. "Max…"

I sat down carefully on the couch, staring at him. "Yeah, Ig?" I had a feeling I was going to be lonely very, very soon.

"I'm moving out." He pressed his lips together.

I tried to smile but frowned instead and looked at my hands in my lap. "I guess I saw this coming. I mean, we can't live together forever, you know?" I started playing with my jaw, moving it backward and forward like I was chewing gum. I became a habit of mine when I was trying to not cry. It keeps your mind off of the tears and onto the movement.

Iggy moved and sat next to me. "I'm only moving upstairs." He acted as though I needed to hear it. I didn't, though. I understood. He wanted to be with Nudge and not his stupid, overrated, bothersome, younger sister.

"I know. I know and I'm happy for you, really." And it was the truth. I was just a little saddened about the fact that I'd come home to an empty apartment everyday. And have to pay for it by myself.

"Look, if you want, I can still pay half the rent-"

"No, Igs. It's ok. Just… go and be with your Juliet, Romeo." I teased. "We should go before Nudge starts to worry."

He nodded and we got up and left.

**--!--**

As we entered the school, my name was hollered in the parking lot. I turned and saw Ella running up to me in her dress. It was light blue, like Nudge's, and clung to her body. The straps were thick, probably as thick as a pointer finger and middle finger put together and it looked like a shirt and a skirt. It pinched together on the waist at the side and gave it a wrinkled-but-perfect look. She looked very mature and very beautiful. **(Picture on Profile)**

"What is it, Ella?" I asked, scratching my neck. Despite how nice the necklace looked… it itched like Hell.

She was gasping for breath as she reached me. It must have been hard to run in that dress without falling or ripping it. "Fang said… Fang said he was going to quit after today." She finally caught her breath and I lost mine.

I blinked rapidly before finding my voice. "_What_?"

"He said he's going to move back to New York after tonight." She looked so distraught. I have the feeling he was going to leave her with Lissa.

"Why? Did he give you any reason at all?"

She hesitantly nodded. "He said that, um…" She took a deep, quick breath, obviously deciding to just let it out. "He said there was no way he'd be able to work with his old love when she didn't love him back. Exact words, give or take."

"Max, what's she talking about?" Iggy asked me, completely confused.

I licked my lips. I completely forgot he was there! I spun and faced him. "Iggy… Fang and I… used to, well, be together." Date didn't seem like the right word and be together was as close as I could get to telling the truth. I didn't want to say, _Hey, Iggy, by the way, just wanted to say, I used to sleep with your best friend. See you at dinner, bye! _Yeah, not the best way…

His eyebrows drew down. "_When_?" He was genuinely confused, anyone could see that. And I felt really bad for keeping it from him.

"Back in high school and college. Before he left for New York." I sighed and looked at the school entrance, the wind teasing my hair. "And now I have to make things right."

I turned and walked inside to the large gym where the party was being held. There were tables pushed against one side where food and drinks were and an area where there were tables and chair. There was a stage, a mic, instruments, all the stuff for a concert and stuff like that in another corner and then a dance floor/mingling area.

_I'll Be_ by Edwin McCain was playing over the speakers. All the staff was there and everyone stopped and stared at me, shocked. I blushed and looked away as Nudge, Iggy, and Ella came in.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fang staring, his mouth open, eyes soft and gentle. I resisted the urge to walk over.

I turned to Iggy when everyone looked away from me (_almost_ everyone, at least…). "Please, don't be mad at Fang," I begged him. Which was 100 percent rare.

"Why would I be mad? It's not like you slept with him," He snorted, smirking.

I blushed madly and his smirk disappeared. I bit my lip, ready for my big brother to yell at me for my stupidity and irresponsibility. I felt like a little girl who was going to get scolded.

But, instead of yelling, I was embraced. Iggy hugged me to him tightly. "No wonder you were upset when he left," He mumbled into my hair. "I should've seen it. Why didn't I see it? Why didn't you tell me?" He pulled back to look at me.

I sighed and looked at his lapels. "We thought you'd kill him for sleeping with your baby sister. We didn't tell anyone."

He was silent for a moment. "So…" He sighed, letting it all sink in. "At night, when I heard those creaks on the floor downstairs…?"

"That was him sneaking out so he wouldn't get caught."

"And when you'd go up to your room and never come down?"

"Crawled out the window to meet him at his place." I mumbled, totally embarrassed. I mean, there I was, telling my big brother that I slept with his best friend. I sighed and wiped my eyes carefully so I wouldn't ruin the makeup. "I feel so stupid."

"Why?"

"I know that our relationship was special now but, at the time…" I shook my head and looked at Iggy sadly. "I kept thinking that I wasn't the only one he was with. That I wasn't the only girl he was with. Not just at the time but ever. And I got mad about that- a lot. Which is probably why he left me."

Iggy shook his head at me, eyebrows down right above his eyes. "Max, Fang was never with anyone. Ever."

I snorted. Yeah, like I'd believe that. "Uh-huh, sure. Like Fang wasn't lucky. Every girl wanted him."

"But he didn't want every girl." He stated simply.

"Why would he turn down so many girls? Was he sick?" I joked but also not.

"Back then, I'm guessing before you two- you know…, anyway, he told me that there was only one girl. One girl that he was waiting for. And then, after a while, he kept smiling and junk, being just… not Fang-like." I raised an eyebrow and cracked a smile at his description. "He told me he finally got his dream girl but wouldn't tell me who. He was all cheerful, it was kind of frightening, really. You made him really happy."

I licked my bottom lip and tucked it under my teeth. I sighed and buried my head in his chest, still shorter than him with my heels on. "I'm such an idiot."

Iggy chuckled. "Yeah, you are." I hit him and he laughed again. "But I kinda have another question for you…"

"Go ahead." I looked up at him.

"Was he _your _first?" I could tell Iggy was uncomfortable but I knew he was only looking out for me. I mean, I was a junior in high school when Fang and I first did it. I'm sure Iggy was just checking I wasn't sleeping around in 8th grade. **(I actually know people who did that- in 8****th**** grade! AND in 7****th****!)**

I chuckled and nodded, smiling at him. "So, you're not angry?"

"No. I'm not." Iggy smiled at me. "Well… kind of. I mean, my little sister and my best friend are both miserable right now and I don't really know what to do…"

I smiled at him. "Nothing. Just have fun with Nudge."

He smiled devilishly at me. "I plan on it." I could hear the underlying meaning to those words and hit his arm. He laughed and kissed my forehead, pulling away. "Love you, sis."

"Love you, too." I watched my big brother walk away and hold his love.

I felt envious: I wanted that. To be held by the one I love.

I saw Jeb and Valencia and smiled at the couple. Those two were married and their anniversary was tomorrow.

An idea popped into my head and I smiled, biting my lip. I walked over to the stage where some of the people in the music department were hanging out. I asked them to help me and they got on stage. This plan was to show how much I really did love Fang. And, you know, to celebrate Val's and Jeb's anniversary.

--!--

Everything was set up and we were on stage.

"Excuse me, everyone." I said into the mic. Everyone immediately quieted down. "I hope you're all having fun at our Holiday Party and I just wanted to add that this isn't just for Valentine's Day, New Year's, or Christmas, but also another holiday that not many of you know about." I smiled down at Val and Jeb. "Val and Jeb's anniversary." People cheered and clapped for them, facing them. The two were smiling and blushing, holding each other's hands. "And to celebrate that, I'm going to sing their song from their wedding. Feel free to grab a partner and dance."

I took a deep breath, ready to sing.

_If I _

_Should stay _

_I would only be in your way _

_So I'll go _

_But I know _

_I'll think of you every step of _

_the way _

_And I... _

_Will always _

_Love you, Oooh _

_Will always _

_Love you _

_You _

_My darling you _

_Mmm-mm _

_Bittersweet _

_Memories _

_That is all I'm taking with me _

_So good-bye _

_Please don't cry _

_We both know I'm not what you _

_You need _

_And I... _

_Will always love you _

_I... _

_Will always love you _

_You, ooh _

_[Instrumental / Sax solo]_

_I hope _

_life treats you kind _

_And I hope _

_you have all you've dreamed of _

_And I wish you joy _

_and happiness _

_But above all this _

_I wish you love _

_And I... _

_Will always love you _

_I... _

_Will always love you _

_[Repeat]_

_I, I will always love _

_You.... _

_You _

_Darling I love you _

_I'll always _

_I'll always _

_Love _

_You.. _

_Oooh _

_Ooohhh. _**(I Will Always Love You By Whitney Houston)**

As I let the note drift, people cheered and whistled. That song wasn't the easiest to sing, not in the least. Throughout the song, I kept glancing at Fang, hoping he'd get the message. I'd noticed him staring at me the whole time, when I was talking to Iggy and when I was singing. Our eyes met plenty of times.

But, alas, I had to perform some more songs since I was the entertainment for the night. "Now here's a song that I'm sure they'll be embarrassed to admit that they play every year on their anniversary." I winked at them and everyone laughed as Jeb flushed and Val buried her face in his shirt, hiding her blush from everyone.

They knew what I was talking about…!

_Tarzan and Jane were swingin' on a vine_

_Candyman, Candyman_

_Sippin' from a bottle of vodka double wine_

_Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]_

_I met him out for dinner on a Friday night_

_He really had me working up an appetite_

_He had tattoos up and down his arm_

_There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm_

_He's a one stop shop, makes the panties drop_

_He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man_

_A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman_

_Oh yeah.._

_He took me to the Spider Club at Hollywood and Vine_

_We drank champagne and we danced all night_

_We shook the paparazzi for a big surprise_

_the gossip tonight will be tomorrow's headline_

_He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop_

_He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man_

_A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman_

_Se bop bop_

_Hey yeah_

_..._

_He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop_

_He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candy man oh_

_A sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman_

_Woo yeah_

_Well by now I'm getting all bothered and hot_

_When he kissed my mouth he really hit the spot_

_He had lips like sugar cane_

_Good things come to boys who wait_

_Tarzan and Jane were swingin' on a vine_

_Candy man, candy man_

_Sipping from a bottle of vodka double wine_

_Candy man, candy man_

_Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]_

_He's a one stop, gotcha hot, making all the panties drop_

_Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]_

_He's a one stop, got me hot, making my uh pop_

_Sweet sugar candy man [whispered]_

_He's a one stop, get it while it's hot, baby don't stop_

_Sweet sugar [whispered]_

_He got those lips like sugar cane_

_Good things come for boys who wait_

_He's a one stop shop with a real big uh_

_He's a sweet-talkin', sugar coated candyman [x3]_

_Tarzan and Jane were swingin' on a vine [x2]_

_Sippin' from a bottle of vodka double wine [x2]_

_Jane lost her grip and a-down she fell [x2]_

_Squared herself away as she let out a yell [x2]_

**(Candy Man by Christina Aguilera)**

During the song, I guess they got over their embarrassment because they started doing the dance like in the video. You know, the swing dance, not the stripper dance. I almost cracked up laughing so many times but my professional side helped me through.

**--!--**

Twelve songs later, I decided to end it. But not before one last song.

_Tell me that it's gonna be okay _

_Tell me that you'll help me find my way _

_Tell me you can see the light of dawn is breaking _

_Tell me that it's gonna be all right _

_Tell me that you'll help me fight this fight _

_Tell me that you won't leave me alone in this _

_[chorus] _

_'Cause I need _

_I need a hand to hold _

_To hold me from the edge _

_The edge I'm sliding over slowly _

_'Cause I need _

_I need your hand to hold _

_To hold me from the edge _

_The edge I'm sliding past _

_Hold on to me _

_Tell me I can make it through this day _

_I don't even have the words to pray _

_You have been the only one who never left me _

_Help me find the way through all my fears _

_Help me see the light through all my tears _

_Help me see that I am not alone in this _

_[chorus 2x] _**(Hold by Superchick)**

I sighed and stood, smiling at all the applause. I went over to the snack table since I was running on dry. I went up to the coolers and pulled out a can of Rootbeer since I didn't want to have a designated driver tonight. The DJ put a new song over the speakers and I nearly choked on my drink as I laughed. _I Love You To Death _by Family Force 5.

My friends and I used to dance to this all the time. I finished the drink and threw the can out right when a hand caught my arm. I turned and looked right into the eyes of…

**(I, honestly, thought about stopping right there but I decided to not be that mean. lol)**

_

_

_

_

_

_

_Sam._

I sighed. I was really hoping it was Fang and not this stalker. "Hello, West."

He smiled. "Hey, Max. Listen, I _loved_ those songs that you sang."

"Really, now?" I was scanning the crowd for Iggy or Fang but couldn't find either of them. Nudge either.

"Yeah. You look so amazing tonight, Max." He smirked perversely. I leaned away from him as he leaned forward. "I bet you'd look even better _without_ that dress on." He whispered, trying to be seductive.

I glared at him and punched him in the jaw, finding my courage after so long. Sam fell to the floor and clutched his jaw, whining like the little weakling he was. "This time, Sam, you have gone _too_ _far_."

I walked away to find Jeb and report all his sexual harassment. Instead of running into Jeb or Val, I literally bumped into someone else and tripped over my foot. I would have fallen on my face but strong, lithe arms caught my waist.

I was pulled to my feet and immediately, lips crashed my mine. My eyes widened in shock but I relaxed once I saw the black hair, the tan skin, and felt the warm, soft lips on mine. How could I _ever_ forget those lips? His arms tightened around me as I put my own around his neck.

After a while, though, I gasped and pulled back, pushing Fang's body away from mine. I bit my lip and shook my head, embarrassed. He just kissed me in front of everyone! I don't know about him, but I hate PDA. Whether it was me or other people, it just always either _A)_ embarrassed me (if it was me or someone I knew) or _B)_ grossed me out. This case, it was choice A. And Fang could see that as I walked out of the gym as quickly as I could in the heels I was wearing.

**~~!~~**

Fang stared after Max, frowning. Weren't those songs for him…? Or…, or were they for that wiener Sam? Fang's hands clenched into fists as he ground his teeth together. He embarrassed Max and himself in front of everyone they worked with. How would he fix _that_?!

"Go after her."

Fang turned his head to see Iggy, Nudge, and Ella. Ella's arms were crossed and she was chewing on something- a brownie no doubt. _I swear, that girl's addicted._

Nudge was in Iggy's arms, tucked to his side.

Nudge smiled at Fang. "You heard my man. Go get her back, Romeo." Nudge winked at him.

Fang looked at Iggy, realizing Max told him. Iggy nodded at him, smiling slightly.

"I guess I have to crush you now since you're crushing on my sister." He joked. But Fang could see the threat in Iggy's eyes. He knew Iggy would always look after his little sister.

Fang nodded and ran after Max. _Time to give her an explanation._

**I felt really generous so I decided to update twice. I am on a roll! Hopefully, I can update tomorrow too! XD**


	9. I'm Grounded

**...I'm grounded...**

**So, yeah. That's why I haven't been updating. Right now, my parents are letting me go on just to check my email since it always piles up and junk so they don't even know that I'm not here at the moment.**

**And I'm leaving for New York on Thursday with my Choir from school so I can't update this weekend at all. I'll be back on Monday, midday and I'll try to update after I get back.**

**I bet you're wondering why I got grounded.**

**I'll tell you...**

**...I was failing Biology. I missed at least ten assignments, some of which were assigned days I was gone at my grandma's funeral which I should be excused for but my teacher decided to not let me have some time to do it all. After that, I started slacking off. Main reason: Anime.**

**I love it. In my Social Studies class, I had tons of discussions with my friend, P, about Naruto, Yu-Gi-Oh! (The original, japanses version and abridged), Yu Yu Hakusho, InuYasha, FullMetal Alchemist, etc, etc. I've been trying to catch up on watching Anime and reading Manga. Also, because of me trying to catch up on writing for FanFiction and FictionPress. I know I haven't updated in forever but I'm trying to at least plan it all out and I've been setting up ideas for new stories and such.**

**Anyway, I'm grounded for the weekend and week and after that, I'm off for New York. So, I hope I get inspiration for the recent stories that are on here!**

**~~Amy-Katherine914**


	10. Trojans Suck Ass

**Okay, so there's a problem with everything...**

**Again, I'm sorry for not updating soon enough for you all but the thing is is that my dad almost broke my laptop. He always bends the top back to look at the screen when he's reading over my shoulder. So, my screen shakes and wobbles a lot and basically, if my computer even moves less than a centimeter, the top will snap off. So, I need to get that fixed. Meaning, I can't really use my computer. I'm really trying here, trying to type this up and all to let you all know. It's hard for me because I type with my laptop on my lap- duh, whole point of name- and my computer shakes from the movement of my hands and wrists and whatnot when I'm working. So, right now, I'm typing extremely slow so I can get this Author Note out to all of you.**

**Another reason is that I'm going to go on (you'll all shoot me for this) hiatus. For everything. One reason for that being I can't use my computer, another being that my brain is shutting down. (Oh, I forgot to say this above, a virus is spreading through FaceBook and hacking into people's accounts and sending it to other people. So guess what happened...: My uncle got the virus, it hacked him and it sent the virus to everyone on his friend list. the virus went to my computer [By the way, the virus is disguised as Vista Antivirus Pro 2010, so if you ever see that on your computer, DON'T USE IT OR CLICK IT! Run a scan and destroy it from your computer, it's a trojan], and I had it ever since I came back from New York last week. It almost deleted some of my stuff so I spent all of yesterday trying to get rid of it with my brother. So now, I'm searching through all my files on my computer so I can see what it deleted and what it started to delete or copy and fix all that up. I mean, I don't have any true important stuff on here like bills or anything, I mean, I'm only 15. But I have lots of stuff on here that I like to keep to myself. Everyone understands that, you know?) Anyway, I know that was a long extra note but it's important. My brain isn't literally shutting, I just mean that I haven't been able to add any more to any of my stories lately. My mind is setting me on school, trying to catch me up with everything, getting my grades back up from Cs to As (My parents are hardasses) so I'm not too focused on fanfiction.**

**IGYW: Fans, friends, etc, I need help with this one. I'm trying to figure out how to write the next scenes. The next chapter is when Fang gets to Max's house to help fight off her "dad" and, I know how to write the scene when he gets there, but not on the way. What should he be thinking about? Should I have flashbacks of the past month or so from the story, showing some extra stuff that happened between them that I never actually wrote to show his feelings toward her more clearly? Or should I just have him babbling in his head, freaking out?**

**Roommates: I'm planning out Buttercup's awakening, how Butch reacts to her, and when they go to school. It's all still too funky and jumbled for me to make sense.**

**CA: Um...yeah, I've got i written out in my notebook but, um...heeheehee, I lost it at school so...yeah. I have to try to remember what I wrote cause I had planned that scene out a long time ago and I don't necessarily recall what I had exactly thought out. BUT I WILL GET IT OUT.**

**Like everything else, after I'm off my hiatus, I will get everything out and finished. If I'm able after my computer is fixed and clean, I'm going to start typing everything up, a couple chapters ahead so I can just update those every once in a while and not have to worry about what to write next.**

**Anyway, I have to go now and scan my computer again.**

**~~Amy-Katherine914~~**


	11. Get Some!

I struggled to walk in a straight line in the high heels as I waltzed through the halls, trying to leave the stupid school. But, with my mind on other things, I forgot which way was out!

I rounded a corner and ran into something hard. I grunted as I started to fall back but an arm caught me and hoisted me back up. I looked up and saw dark, dark orbs of beauty. I stopped my blush midway at the thought. But Fang smiled at me anyway, seeming to read my mind like he used to.

I licked my lips, a little nervous. "Hello there…" I greeted, trying to act nonchalant.

He raised an eyebrow, chuckling once. "What? No quip about me still holding you?" I looked down and realized his arm had been around me still. I shrugged, not caring all that much. Fang's small smile dropped slowly as his eyebrows drew down closer to his eyes. "Why'd you run?"

I sighed and stepped away, his arm falling to his side as I turned and slowly paced around, trying to figure a way to explain. "It's… well, um, it's just that-" I looked at him and had the words in my mind but I couldn't seem to say them.

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, his ankles crossed too. He was waiting for an answer but giving me my space. I didn't really want space, I wanted him to hold me.

Oh, God.

Forget I said that.

Just forget.

"Don't go." I heard myself say. It seemed to shock us both. I started walking toward him. "Fang, don't leave me again. I could barely handle it the first time, don't make me go through it a second," I wound up right in front of him. "More importantly, don't leave Ella." I looked into his eyes, just _trying _to make him understand. "You shouldn't- You can't- I _won't _let you leave. _Not again_."

He just stared back at me. I saw nothing in his eyes, no expression on his face. And it made me angry. Extremely angry. I think all that I've been going through this past year had built up and now it was overflowing.

"Okay, you know what? _Fine_! Don't listen to me! Leave, go ahead! Just leave! See if I care! Go and ignore me, and go live your old Lala Land again!" I spun on my heel and stormed away, my heels creating a dramatic effect, the clicking showing I seriously was walking away and not faking it.

As I started to _really _get away, a hand grasped my arm and spun me around to a stop. Fang was hugging me tightly to him. Not like he was upset, but like he was afraid I'd really leave.

"I'm sorry." He murmured into my hair. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think you'd- I didn't know I had- Oh, God, I'm sorry,"

"Stop apologizing and stay." I mumbled into his blazer. I buried my face into his chest. "Just stay with me."

I felt Fang's hand in my hair and he tightened his grip, pulling my head back slowly. I didn't resist. As soon as my face was away from his chest, he lowered his lips to mine and gently placed ours together. He let go of my hair when I made no sign of leaving.

"Aw!"

"So cute!"

We pulled apart and looked to our left to see Iggy, Ella, and Nudge standing there, witnessing it. I blushed and tried to step out of Fang's grasp, not liking how much affection we were showing. Fang wouldn't let me go.

"Fang," I whined quietly, embarrassed.

He smiled at me. "You're gonna have to get used to it, Max," He laughed, pulling me closer protectively.

Ella and Nudge were smiling so huge, I thought their faces would break. Iggy… well, Iggy looked like the stern older brother. I bit my lip and looked down and away, covering my face with my hair.

"Fang," Iggy called out. I peeked up at him through my hair. He looked serious. "Not in front of me, okay? I'd rather keep my dinner."

I smiled a tiny smile and lifted my head, so many remarks flying through my mind. "Why not?" I sarcastically whined. "I mean, I have to watch you and Nudge all the time. And you guys aren't exactly good at sneaking around, either."

Fang chuckled, hiding his face in my hair, trying to muffle it. After all, Iggy and Nudge were still his bosses. And, teaming up, they could kick his ass… I think. Unless he got stronger over the years, I'm not too sure. Oh, God, I'm babbling.

"Neither were you and Fang," Iggy quipped.

"At least we didn't scream," I laughed back. Nudge hit Iggy on his arm. "I told you she heard us!"

I laughed even harder, tears coming to my eyes.

Iggy sort of ignored Nudge, trying to win this little battle. "At least I still get some!"

Fang's and my laughter immediately stopped.

After an almost endless silence, Ella broke it, shuddering. "_Ew_!!!!!!!" She shook her head to rid the thoughts. "That's so gross, Iggy! You're disgusting!"

"What? You made that assumption on the phone the other morning!" He defended.

Fang and I had separated after Iggy's comment. I didn't meet his eyes at all, totally ready to kill Iggy.

"I was _joking_!" Ella yelled.

"Hey, at least he isn't!" Iggy tried to point out.

"Iggy!" Ella squeaked, still red in the face from anger. "I do _not _need to know about my uncle's libido or action or lack thereof!"

"Hey!" Fang yelled, insulted.

I stifled a laugh and turned it into a cough. Everyone looked at me like I was calling their attention with the cough. Shit, time to be leader. "Ella, that's enough," I tried to sound stern. I saw Iggy looking smug. "And, Iggy, that was too much. You need to grow up."

"Excuse me?!" He ground, infuriated by the fact that his little sister was scolding him.

I took a step forward. "For Christ's sake, Iggy, you were arguing with an eighteen-year-old about sex! You're supposed to be a role model for these kids and you're being as immature as ever! Just because your best friend from high school is back-"

"Max-" Iggy tried to interrupt.

"-it doesn't mean you get to act like you're back in tenth grade." I finished off rather smoothly, my voice still the same, easy level. "Iggy, I love you, but sometimes, you need to be an adult. And keep some things confidential." I added, as light as a feather.

He was silent for a while as we all just stood there. Ella looked embarrassed to have fought with Iggy about other people's business and pretty guilty for it too.

"Iggy," Ella sighed and bit her lip, stepping over to him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I argued and I'm sorry I cause so much trouble," Her eyes started to fill with tears to the brim and her breathing started to stagger. "I didn't mean to be such a bother, I'm sorry." The tears overflowed and spilled down her cheeks, not mixing with her waterproof mascara. She covered her mouth to silence the cries and ran off.

"Ella!" I yelled for her, concerned, ready to run after her.

Fang put a hand on my arm to stop me. I stared at him, ready to throw him across the hall floor so I could run after Ella. "Don't forget about your heels." He informed me.

I looked at my feet and then rid them of the _sprained ankle waiting to happen._ I grabbed Fang's hand and we ran off to find her.

We made it to the parking lot and saw her car gone. I looked at Fang. "The apartment," I said, sort of as a question. He nodded and we got to my car.

**~~!!~~**

We pulled into the parking lot of my apartment building and I saw Ella's car. As we ran up to my floor, I noticed my door was open. Yeah, she was in there. I ran in first and looked around. Her heels were by the door, carelessly thrown. I went over to my bedroom and slowly opened the door in case she was near it. I didn't want to give her a concussion.

She was sitting near my closet, wearing some pajamas she left there at one point. She left some things at my place in case she ever wanted to sleep over or if she couldn't get home before the night was over. Her dress was carefully placed on the bed.

I sat next to her curled form and started petting her hair, getting rid if all the clips in it so it could fully be let down. I didn't try to convince her of anything while I fixed her hair.

"_You've got a face for a smile, you know._

_A shame you waste it when you're breaking me slowly._

_But I've got a world of chances, for you._

_I've got a world of chances, for you._

_I've got a world of chances, chances that you're burning through.I've got a paper and pen._

_I go to write a goodbye and that's when I know I've_

_got a world of chances for you._

_I've got a world of chances, for you._

_I've got a world of chances, chances that you're burning , I'm going my own way._

_My faith has lost its strength again._

_& Ohhhh, it's been too hard to say we've fallen off the edge again._

_We're at the end._

_We're at the you'll call me someday._

_Hear the operator say the numbers no good and that she had a world of chances for you._

_She had a world of chances, for you._

_She had a world of chances, chances you were burning through._

_Chances you were burning through._

_Chances you were burning through._

_Ooooh_

_You've got a face for a smile, you know._" **[World Of Chances by Demi Lovato]**

That was Ella's favorite song that she had found I had written. She always had listened to it her sophomore year when she was upset.

Ella lifted her head as I had sung the last lyric and she gave me a tiny smile. Her tears still remained on her face but no more were coming. I wiped them away.

I never knew how to cheer Ella up with actual speeches so I always sang her favorite songs or unexpected songs. "_I can ride my bike with no handlebars_

_No handlebars_

_No handlebars_," I smiled at Ella as she laughed, her shoulders relaxing. She smiled back, happy again.

"_I can ride my bike with no handlebars_

_No handlebars_

_No handlebars_"

"_Look at me, look at me_

_hands in the air like it's good to be_

_ALIVE_

_and I'm a famous rapper_

_even when the paths're all crookedy_

_I can show you how to do-si-do_

_I can show you how to scratch a record_

_I can take apart the remote control_

_And I can almost put it back together_

_I can tie a knot in a cherry stem_

_I can tell you about Leif Ericson_

_I know all the words to "De Colores"_

_And "I'm Proud to be an American"_

_Me and my friend saw a platypus_

_Me and my friend made a comic book_

_And guess how long it took_

_I can do anything that I want cuz, look:_

_I can keep rhythm with no metronome_

_No metronome_

_No metronome_" Fang was singing from the doorway, making Ella smile even more.

_I can see your face on the telephone_

_On the telephone_

_On the telephone_

_Look at me_

_Look at me_

_Just called to say that it's good to be_

_ALIVE_

_In such a small world_

_All curled up with a book to read_

_I can make money open up a thrift store_

_I can make a living off a magazine_

_I can design an engine sixty four_

_Miles to a gallon of gasoline_

_I can make new antibiotics_

_I can make computers survive aquatic conditions_

_I know how to run a business_

_And I can make you wanna buy a product_

_Movers shakers and producers_

_Me and my friends understand the future_

_I see the strings that control the systems_

_I can do anything with no assistance_

_I can lead a nation with a microphone_

_With a microphone_

_With a microphone_

_I can split the atoms of a molecule_

_Of a molecule_

_Of a molecule_

_Look at me_

_Look at me_

_Driving and I won't stop_

_And it feels so good to be_

_Alive and on top_

_My reach is global_

_My tower secure_

_My cause is noble_

_My power is pure_

_I can hand out a million vaccinations_

_Or let'em all die in exasperation_

_Have'em all healed of their lacerations_

_Have'em all killed by assassination_

_I can make anybody go to prison_

_Just because I don't like'em and_

_I can do anything with no permission_

_I have it all under my command_

_I can guide a missile by satellite_

_By satellite_

_By satellite_

_and I can hit a target through a telescope_

_Through a telescope_

_Through a telescope_

_and I can end the planet in a holocaust_

_In a holocaust_

_In a holocaust_

_In a holocaust_

_In a holocaust_

_In a holocaust_

_I can ride my bike with no handlebars_

_No handle bars_

_No handlebars_

_I can ride my bike with no handlebars_

_No handlebars_

_No handlebars._" **[Handlebars by Flobots]**

"See, Ella?" I turned to her, smiling. "Everything is going to be fine. You're not trouble, you're not a burden. We all love you. Truly do."

I stood and lifted her to her feet. She sniffled and looked at Fang. He stood straight and opened his arms wide, smirking: waiting for a hug.

Ella ran to him and jumped into his arms. He wrapped his own around her tightly. "You… are the _greatest _niece I could ask for. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

I leaned against my wall, staring at the two. I dug around in my closet and grabbed twenty dollars out of a jacket pocket. "Hey, Ella," I faced her as she and Fang let go.

I handed her the money.

"What's this for?" She asked, completely confused.

"Why don't you go see a movie and grab a bite to eat?" I suggested. "Maybe grab yourself some ice cream at Walgreens too."

She looked back and forth between us and shrugged. "Okay, sure." She seemed wary. "Just let me get changed and I'll go." She grabbed some of my clothes and went into the bathroom.

Fang just stared at me, confused and wondering.

Ella came out and ran out of the apartment. "Bye, guys!" She slammed the door shut after putting some shoes on.

"What was that about, Max?" Fang asked, chuckling as he loosened his tie.

We went into the family room and he sat on the couch, leaning back into its comfortableness. **[Yeah, that's a word…Didn't need SpellCheck on that. {But I do for SpellCheck XD}]**

"I thought that if I cried in front of her, she wouldn't think of me as Tough Max any more." I explained, turning toward the sound system.

"Why would you cry?" He sounded alarmed and I could hear him stand up.

I turned around with a case in my hands. I walked toward Fang and handed it to him. He sat down at the same time as me.

He gazed up at me, confusion etched into his face. "The DVD I made you?"

"I haven't watched it yet." I admitted.

"But… why not?"

"Because the only footage there is of us being together was taken by Marian. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to handle it at all after the CD." I didn't look him in the eyes.

"I'll watch it with you?" He tried to sound comforting but it just came off unsure.

I smiled at that. "You can… if you want, you don't have to."

He pulled my head toward his and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I want to."

He patted my knee and got up to put the disc in. "Time to delve into our exciting past!" He said with fake enthusiasm. That made me smile up at him.

I had a tissue box sitting the coffee table.

I knew I would burst once I saw Marian again…

* * *

**I am back! My computer fell off the coffee table and the hinges snapped but it's working so I'm happy! I'll be updating as much as possible! Look out for a new chapter next week!**


	12. Got Some

I sighed and leaned back into the couch, waiting for Fang to sit next to me. He put the disc in the drive and sat down after grabbing the remote.

I looked at him. "Why do we need the remote?"

He smirked. "I didn't just go to college for music. I learned how to put demo CDs and DVDs together." The menu screen came up for the DVD. "Now, Memories or Music Videos?"

I slowly smiled at him. "Memories."

He pressed play and set the remote on the table next to the tissue box. The screen went black and a scene slowly faded in. It was Marian holding the camera, making it face her. It was night vision so everything was devoid of color.

_"Okay, this video is going into a giant compilation of the two lovebirds. Fang, Max,"She spoke, smiling. "When you two get married, I'm playing the whole video at your wedding. It will be filled with moments of you two from when you got together to when you guys got married." She laughed and she was whispering. She was walking, shuffling in the background. "Okay, now it's time to bust you two and embarrass you," she winked and opened a door, turning the camera around to face in front of her._

_There was a bedroom, definitely a guy's, and on the bed were me and Fang when we were younger- I was a sophomore and he was a junior. We were curled up to each other, under the covers. Fang wasn't wearing his shirt- I was._

_There was a loud bullhorn noise and we sprang up out of bed, the covers falling around us. Fang was wearing pants and I was wearing his basketball shorts and his shirt. I scratched my head, staring at Marian and then at Fang._

_"What the hell is going on?" I questioned._

_Fang stood next to me, holding me around the waist. "Marian, you won't tell Mom and Dad, would you?"_

_The camera shook back and forth as a no. "No, I won't." There was laughter in her voice. "I'm just going to videotape you guys."_

_I hesitated. "Why?"_

_"I want to preserve your memories together. In case you ever forgot something. Plus, it'll be fun to look back on."_

_Fang and I were silent, looking at her warily._

_"No one is even allowed to touch my equipment, no one's going to see."_

_"Fine," Fang and I said after a while, still grumpy from being woken up._

_"So," Marian's voice held mischief. "How was it?"_

_Fang and I ran after her and she bolted out of the room_. **(I know I said they did it when Max was a junior and Fang was a senior. Well, I'm staying with that because they didn't actually do it above. They just slept in the same bed. Marian knows that, she was just joking, trying to embarrass them.) **It cut and a little video collage of me and Fang popped up. There's pictures of me smiling, photos of him and I goofing around.

_"Go long!" Marian yelled. A football was thrown and Fang and I chased after it. Well, I chased him since I was on the other "team." Him and Marian against me. We were all in the park._

_Marian had placed the camera on a stand so she was in the video too. But when I tackled Fang, she ran behind the camera and zoomed in. Fang and I rolled around a bit from the momentum of my hit but, when we stopped, I was laying next to him, partially on top of him. I was staring down at him, both of us laughing and trying to catch our breath. Fang moved some of my hair out of my face and behind my ear. Then he pulled my head towards his and kissed me deeply._

_"First Official Kiss," Marian's voice rang through the footage._

The footage changed again.

_"Going somewhere, Max?"_

_I paused in walking and turned around, shoes in my hand, night vision back on the camera. I was a junior in that footage. "Um?"_

_Marian laughed. "You need to be a little more quiet, honey," She chuckled again._

_I blushed on camera, anyone could see it. "During which part…?"_

_Marian laughed loudly again. "On the sneaking out part," She stood, the camera sitting on the table, facing me. She walked up to me and put her hands on my shoulders. "You're very special to Fang- don't forget that, alright?"_

_I nodded. "Yeah, no, I won't. Don't worry."_

_Marian hugged me. "You know, he's waited for you?"_

_I pulled back and stared._

I looked over at Fang to see him staring at his lap, embarrassed.

_"Really?"_

_"Yes, he has. He hasn't been with anyone before- ever. Not even dated. He was waiting for you the entire time."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Sister's intuition. He really loves you."_

_I laughed nervously. "Um, loves? How- how does he know? Love is… complicated."_

_"Do you love him?"_

_"Yes,"_

_"Then there you go."_

_I smiled at her. "Thanks, Mare."_

It changed once more.

_"Max," Fang held my hands in his. I could tell Marian hid the camera behind the plant in the dining room of Fang's house. "There's something I need to tell you,"_

_We were a little older, me almost a senior and Fang close to graduating._

_"Yeah?" I looked in his eyes._

_He looked really nervous and worried._

_"Whatever you need to say, Fang, say it. I won't get mad or upset, if that's what you're thinking."_

_I had placed my hand on his cheek and he leaned into my touch. He sighed, staring into my eyes. "I love you,"_

_I blinked in surprise. "Really?" I was almost speechless._

_He nodded. "Yeah… really."_

_I smiled and hugged him. "I love you, too." I kissed his neck, nuzzling it with my nose._

_"Do you want to know what I love about you?"_

_I sighed and looked at him. "No. No, it doesn't matter."_

I paused the DVD and set the remote back down, facing Fang. He looked up, being brought back from his thoughts and saw the TV was paused. He looked at me.

"What's up? Do you not want to watch it anymore?"

"I just realized something," I stated, looking into his eyes, a small smile creeping onto my face. "Why look back on old memories when you can create new ones?"

Fang smiled softly at me and kissed my forehead, his hand in my hair. As he kissed down my face, his hand slid down from my hair to my back and lower to my waist, almost to my ass. As he kissed my lips, he slid me onto his lap, holding me tightly.

Our kiss got deeper and rougher as he picked me up bridal-style as he stood. He walked us over to my bedroom.

I think you can guess what happened next…

**-!-**

_"We got the afternoon You got this room for two One thing I've left to do Discover me Discovering you," _I heard Fang murmuring into my ear. _"One mile to every inch of Your skin like porcelain One pair of candy lips and Your bubblegum tongue,"_ I snuggled closer to him as he sang lowly into my ears. "_And if you want love We'll make it Swim in a deep sea Of blankets Take all your big plans And break 'em This is bound to be awhile Your body is a wonderland Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands) Your body is a wonderland,"_

I peeked up at him, our legs entangled under the covers.

_"Something 'bout the way the hair falls in your face I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillowcase You tell me where to go and Though I might leave to find it I'll never let your head hit the bed Without my hand behind it You want love? We'll make it Swim in a deep sea Of blankets Take all your big plans And break 'em This is bound to be awhile Your body is a wonderland Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands) Your body is a wonderland,"_ I mouthed the words while he sang. _"Damn baby You frustrate me I know you're mine all mine all mine But you look so good it hurts sometimes Your body is a wonderland Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands) Your body is a wonderland Your body is a wonderland."_ **(Your Body Is A Wonderland by John Mayer)**

He looked down at me, smiling, and brushed my hair away from my eyes. "You remember that song?" His voice was still quiet.

I nodded, slowly, loving the feeling of his chest against my cheek. I could feel his heartbeat through his skin. "Yes," I whispered. "You sang it after our first,"

His smile grew, if that was possible. "Yeah," I think neither of us wanted to ruin our little moment of Heaven so our voices stayed quiet.

I moaned, cuddling closer to him, closing my eyes, extremely comfortable. His arms immediately held me tighter and closer. "I love you," I murmured, kissing his chest where his heart rested.

"I love you, too," He pressed his lips to my ear.

"Do you want to know what I love about you?"

"No, no, it doesn't matter,"

I smiled and sighed, content.

"Just having you here is enough," he added.

I chuckled lightly, slowly running my nose up his neck. "I couldn't agree more." I paused. "What time is it?"

Fang's head moved as he looked at my clock. "Almost ten,"

I gasped and sat up, staring at the clock as Fang stared at me. "Ella's coming back in fifteen minutes!"

His eyes widened and we both started grabbing clothes, cleaning up and getting dressed. Fang put on his boxers while I put on my underwear and his dress shirt.

Right as we left my room to get Fang some of Iggy's clothes, the apartment door opened and in walked Ella with Iggy and Nudge right behind her. _Oops…_

They all stopped when they saw Fang and I. I tucked my hair behind my ear as I bit my lip. Fang was looking at Iggy, debating if jumping out the window would be less painful than dealing with his fury.

Iggy stepped over to his room, opening the door. "I'll move out as soon as possible so you and Ella can move in." He smiled at Fang and stepped into his room, grabbing a suitcase.

I walked over to his doorway. "Wait, you're…?"

"Yeah, I'm not mad." He smiled. He was packing his clothes into the suitcase. "I'll leave a shirt or two and a pair of pants for Fang to use until he can get his stuff here. Ella can have my room." He closed his suitcase and pulled it out of the room. "I'll fully move out tomorrow."

"Wait, Iggy!" Iggy didn't pay attention and just left, Nudge staring after him too.

She looked over at me. "He's happy for you, he is. I think, maybe, he's just upset that you're growing up so fast. He probably doesn't feel needed." She paused. "Plus, the way you're dressed isn't really helping…" She giggled and winked. "Talk to him tomorrow, he should be fine." She left, closing the door after herself.

Ella stood by the kitchen table, tracing imaginary patterns on the wood. "_So_…" She looked up at us, smirking. "I take it you're back together?"

I was about to answer but Fang lifted me up over his shoulder. "Why don't you go sleep over at a friend's house, Ella?"

"_Fang_!" I whined. "_Put me down_!"

Ella laughed. "I'll go sleep over at Max's mom's place," She was at the door. "So I can tell Gazzy and Angel." She ran.

"_Ella_!" I yelled. Fang started walking toward my bedroom. "Fang, come on, put me down," I patted his bare back, ignoring the way his muscles were flexed.

"Okay," He set me down on the bed and got on his knees, leaning over me.

"Fang, _no_," I sighed. "I'm tired."

He hung his head. "_Fine_…" I could hear his disappointment. He laid down next to me and tucked me to his side. He started kissing up and down my neck. He placed a wet, sloppy one right where my neck met my shoulder and rested his mouth there, his tongue tracing circles on the skin. "But I do know you still want me,"

I moaned quietly, leaning into his touch. "I'll always want you. But right now, what I want more, is to _sleep_!" I closed my eyes, exhaustion filling every cell of my being.

Fang kissed my temple. "G'night." He held me tightly.

"Night…"


	13. Knight In Shining Armor

I sighed and leaned my head against the doorframe as I knocked on the wood of the door with my knuckles.

Nudge opened the door and saw me there, looking nervous and sad. She gave me an encouraging smile. "I'm pretty sure he's back to normal, Max. Don't worry."

"Did you do him last night?" I asked.

She frowned and shook her head. "He didn't want to."

I heaved a giant sigh and walked into her apartment. "Then he's not back to normal. But it's okay. I mean, how bad can it be?"

I smiled at her, trying to look confident but on the inside I was worried. What if I ruined Iggy and Fang's friendship? What if Iggy didn't want me as a sister anymore?

I walked over to the bedroom and slowly opened the door, peeking in. Iggy was sitting on the bed, a notebook in his hand. He was reading.

I quietly cleared my throat and rapped my knuckles against the wall, sliding into the room. "Can I come in?" I asked when he looked up at me.

"Why should I answer? You'll come in anyway," He said, setting the notebook on his lap, still open. The statement should have been bitter but Iggy couldn't do that to me, I knew he couldn't. Even if he was angry, he wouldn't be that cruel to me.

I walked over to him and sat next to him. "Listen," I started.

But I didn't finish. We just… sat there. In silence.

After a while, Iggy nodded, lips pursed. "Well, that was interesting. What a great talk." He looked at me and smiled. A real smile, not a fake one.

I smiled back and hugged him, knowing I was forgiven. "I'm sorry I yelled at you before," I mumbled. "I didn't mean to embarrass you or upstage you-"

"You always upstage me. I mean, I'm the bass and you're the lead singer. Everyone notices you, no one pays any attention to the bass."

I looked up at him. "_I _do." I smiled at him. "The bass works with the drums and keeps the beat. Without them the song is in shambles." I rested my head on his shoulder, our arms still around each other. "And I'm sorry you had to see me and Fang like that…" I blushed. "And I swear we weren't playing any games, running around. We were going to your room-"

"_Ew!_" His expression showed his disgust.

"-to get him some clothes." I finished.

Relief showered over his face. "Oh, thank _God_!"

"Iggy, I wasn't going to do it with Fang in the same room you did it with Nudge in: _ew_."

He laughed. "I guess I was just mad that you didn't seem upset that I was moving. I mean, we've always been around each other, _right next door_." He looked down at me. "You do know that was one of my hardest decisions; leaving you."

I rolled my eyes. "I would have been fine on my own. Plus, you'd have Nudge 24/7- what more could you want?"

"I know families are supposed to fight but you have been one of my _best friends_ for the longest time. Yes, being with Nudge was and still is amazing but I'm so used to living with my baby sister. We've been insufferable since as long as I can remember and having you grow up and not need me anymore," he shook his head. "it's life but there's times when I remember whenever there was a thunderstorm and you'd run to my room so we'd both go to Mom and Dad," he smirked. "I always got up to go make sure you were okay but you beat me to it by running to me. I guess you've always been grown up, I just…" he sighed. "I just don't want to see it, you know?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I understand. But you have to remember, Iggy," I leaned up to give him the biggest bear hug. "I'll always be your little sister." I kissed his cheek as he hugged me back. I leaned back and cleared my throat. "So, this apartment is going to be pretty cluttered with two people. You'll look like packrats."

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. But we don't have a spare room to put all the extra stuff,"

I suddenly smiled and he looked at me warily.

"What?"

~~!~~

"Thanks, Max!" Nudge hugged me around the neck as Iggy carried boxes into the apartment. They were moving in across the hall where Gazzy and Angel's parents used to be. No one had rented it after they moved so it was easy to switch them.

"That's all of them," Iggy wiped his hands on his jeans and put his arm around Nudge's tiny waist. "Thanks, Max, really."

I smiled. "Now you have room to move around." I laughed as Nudge yawned and as Iggy picked her up like a princess. "I better go help Ella with her stuff." I turned around and walked into my apartment, closing the door behind me.

Ella was in Iggy's old room and she had her furniture already in there. All she needed to do was get her clothes and things unpacked. I walked in and started folding a sweater at her bed, smiling at her.

She was sitting cross-legged on her mattress, making piles of her clothes, sorting them so putting them away would be easier. She smiled back at me. "Thank you, Max."

"I've gotten those a lot today," I told her, chuckling. "But you're welcome. I'm glad you were able to move in with me,"

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, you are. You just wanted Fang to be ready at all times."

I laughed. "Well, that's a plus." Ella threw a shirt at my face. "You know you love me,"

We were folding for a while, almost done when Fang walked in. "Anyone want pizza?"

"Me," Ella and I said in unison. "Cheese, please." We looked at each other. "Okay, that's creepy…" I blinked and shook my head as Ella hit her forehead.

Fang chuckled. "I knew what my two favorite girls wanted so," he held out a pizza box, eating a slice. "half cheese for you two, half chicken for me." He ate a slice.

We left Ella's room and went to the kitchen. Ella sat on the couch, putting her legs across the entire length. Fang sat in the recliner after setting the pizza box on the coffee table. He pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me to keep me from falling. I bit into his slice of pizza before grabbing my own.

"Okay, I may sound like Nudge here but you two look amazing together," Ella noted, smiling at us. "You guys look like a celebrity couple or two models."

I laughed. "You should have seen us in high school. Everyone was talking about how both of us should be together and then have babies left and right to make the perfect children."

Fang laughed. "Little did they know that they would be demon children since Max is the devil,"

I raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be talkin', Fang." I shook my head at him. "He was the school's _hot badboy_." I made air-quotes around _hot badboy_.

Fang shrugged. "It's just because I didn't like people messing with me or my friends," He nuzzled his nose in my neck as he said it, making me smile. "Of course, I never needed to defend Max."

I laughed. "Yeah. I was horrible in high school when someone tried something." I smiled. "But there was one time when Fang became me knight in shining armor." I kissed his cheek, near his lips since there was pizza sauce there.

He smirked. I'm thinking he put it there on purpose. But it died when he thought back to what happened. "Yeah. That was the first time I was afraid for you."

"What happened?" Ella asked as Fang held me closer, me eating the pizza out of his hand without him wanting me to.

"There were these guys at the mall," I started.

"And Max was meeting me and Iggy,"

"This was back when I was a freshman,"

"And I was a sophomore,"

Ella was looking back and forth between Fang and I as we alternated.

"I rounded a corner to get to the entrance and they grabbed me. I couldn't fight them off since there were three and I was small,"

"I heard Max scream and ran near the sound. There was shouting too. By the time I got there, Max's clothes were ripped and she was clawing away, bleeding."

"They had hit my head against the wall," I explained. "So, they had been attacking me- torturing me- before Fang showed up."

"I almost killed the bastard,"

"Iggy had to pry him off the guy when the cops came. So, there I was on the ground, bleeding, almost naked from how much my clothes were ripped,"

"I wrapped my jacket around her waist, using the back of it to cover her legs and I took my shirt to put over her torn one."

"He went with me to the hospital shirtless," I laughed. "just to make sure I wasn't lying when I said they only grabbed me."

"Why would you lie about that?" Ella questioned, making Fang seem stupid.

"Believe it or not, people lie about it. Because of fear, depression, self-disgust." I explained. "But they did a scan and when I came up okay, I had realized something," I looked down at Fang, smiling with my eyes. "That was the first day I saw you as more than just my brother's friend; the day I saw you as my absolute best friend in the world."

He smiled at me. "That was the day I realized I liked you. I had no clue what love was back then so I didn't really understand."

I smiled as he pulled my head down to his so he could kiss me. But in the kiss, I didn't feel any passion. None at all. It was completely devoid of it.

But there was love. Just pure love, almost blinding me. It was a soft kiss, no tongue, just lips, slowly molding together. It didn't last long, maybe only thirty seconds, but it didn't need to.

I gave Fang my small smile that only he ever really saw and he almost smiled but he held it back to nip my bottom lip. I laughed softly. "Is everything put away in our room?" I asked him, seeing Ella taking another piece of pizza.

He nodded. "Yeah, but some of my shirts and pants are mixed with yours since there wasn't much room left."

"That's fine." I looked at the clock, seeing it was almost midnight. "Ella, time for bed, you can finish your room tomorrow, I want you to get some rest, alright?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Mo- Max." She stuttered as she stood. She bit her lip and blushed.

"What were you about to say?" I asked, confused. I had a hunch but I was probably wrong."

"Nothing," She answered all too quickly.

"No, really, Ella, what'd you say?" I let my confusion shine through. Fang was tracing the back of my bra through my shirt, following the straps on my shoulders.

She sighed and looked at me. "Mom,"

Fang's hand froze and we looked at her.

"Why would you call Max mom?" Fang asked.

Ella shrugged. "Well, it's just that you've been amazing to me and I've known you since I was a toddler. You've taken care of me since my real mom died. You aren't just a teacher or a friend, Max. You're like my second mom. And Fang is like the father I never had." She blushed, looking down. "It was a stupid slip-up. I'm sorry."

I got up and hugged her tightly. "That means a lot to me, Ella. It really does."

She hugged me back. "I want you and Fang to be my parents now…" She whispered to me, almost a whimper. "But when you and Fang get married," the thought made me blush. "you'll just become my aunt instead…"

I hugged her even tighter. "It doesn't matter the relation. I'm closer to you in your heart than what genetics or society say."

She gave one small laugh and I could tell that she was crying. "I miss her so much," She cried into my shoulder quietly.

I rubbed my hand up and down her back. "I know. I miss her too. But here's the thing- it doesn't matter if she's dead or alive physically. Her spirit is in you and she's alive in your heart. She can see you and hear you and I'm sure she's proud of how amazing you turned out to be." I pulled back, wiping her tears away. "But then again, she's your mom; how can you not turn out amazing?"

She laughed and smiled at me, the tears gone. "I love you, Max,"

"Love you too, Ells." I hugged her again before sending her into her room.

When her door closed, Fang hugged me from the back, his chin on my shoulder. "You're going to be an amazing mother…" He mused into my ear.

I blushed. "Let's… go to bed."

~~!~~

_Knock, knock._

Go away…

_Knock, knock._

I groaned and rolled out of the comfort of Fang's arms. Checking the clock, I noticed it was three o'clock in the morning. I made sure I still wore Fang's shirt and shorts and walked out of my room, heading over to the apartment door. It was probably Iggy- maybe he forgot something and he was already up…

I opened the door and my eyes widened, my jaw dropping by the slightest.

"Dylan…"


	14. I'm Sorry

**Hey, everyone, sorry about this Author Note but I have something important to say.**

**My harddrive crashed.**

**Yep, it did.**

**And I'm not joking- at all.**

**It completely crashed, my computer won't even get past the loading sign...**

**So, I lost most my documents. Luckily, I transferred them to a backup.**

**...But not the chapters I was working on or the story that I had started. I was going to that day but I was too late. So now I'm trying to recover through my memory what I had written. It'll take me a while to retype what I had gotten ready to post along with the story that I was creating. So, I probably won't update for a long while.**

**I'm sorry :''''( [those are tons of tears...)**

**Anyway, right now I'm on my mom's old computer that had crashed about two years ago. We got it back up and running and it has a lot of my old documents on here but not my new ones. Alas; sadness... :(**

**So, yea, I'l try to update as soon as I get my documents back...**

**I also know I left my stories on cliffhangers and I'm sorry! I want to update them but I don't remember what I had typed up already so I need to figure that out. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!**

**I'll try as soon as I can, promise with all my heart!**


	15. Hiya, Stranger

"Dylan," I stared at him, shocked.

He invited himself in, stepping around me as I shut the door, still confused. "I left Lissa."

I spun around and gaped at him. "You did _what_?" I screeched, suddenly angry. "Why the hell would you do that? And why come to me at three o'clock in the morning?"

He turned and faced me, his turquoise eyes piercing mine. He smiled at me, almost lovingly but also a sadness to it. He placed his hands on my shoulders. "I left her because she was still as obsessed with Fang as ever. And I left her… for you."

My jaw dropped by the slightest. "What?" I asked gently. I _pray _I didn't hear the last part correctly.

"I left her so I could be with you. Don't you see, Max? Now Lissa can have who she wants and now I can have who I want. That's the whole reason Fang was in town; it was fate. Now we can be together without anyone in our way."

"You're right," I told him, a small, adoring smile on my face. "Fang did come here for a reason but it was fate of a different one. Dylan, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Max," He sighed after a long silence. "I don't understand. Do you not want to be with me because I showed up so late at night?"

I opened my mouth to answer but someone else did for me.

"No, she doesn't want to be with you because she already has someone else." Fang stepped out of my room and made his way over, in nothing but his black, flannel pajama pants. He stared at Dylan with no expression on his face. But I could see the anger and resentment underneath it all. I grasped his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. He looked down at me and gave me a teeny smile.

"What are you doing up?" I murmured, ignoring Dylan.

Fang smiled at me fully. "Your screech woke me up," He was equally as quiet as he brushed his lips against my forehead. "I was worried about you."

"What the hell is he doing here?" Dylan's hands balled into fists angrily. His nostrils flared as he glared at my Fang.

Hmm…My Fang.

I liked the ring to that.

"Fang happens to live with me now." I informed him, letting go of Fang's hand. I wrapped my arm around his waist to hug myself to him. I was cold. Fang saw the goose bumps on my arms and hugged me closer and tighter to his chest. "I can't believe you dumped Lissa- I thought you were over your delusions."

"They're not delusions!" He growled; just like I knew he would. "I am _not _delusional! Why couldn't you ever give me a chance? Why are you just like every other girl; obsessed with Fang?"

"I am not obsessed and I am _not _like every other girl. If I was, Dylan, you wouldn't have taken a liking to me." I pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

He barked a harsh laugh. "Yeah, right. You're not like every other girl," he taunted. My eyes narrowed at him, red around the edges of my vision. "The only difference between you and the other girls is that you've got him in bed!" Fang went to take a step forward but I held him to me, wanting Dylan to continue. "Can't you see I'm better than him?"

"How?" I questioned, my voice level and quiet.

"What?" Dylan was starting to get confused.

"How are you better than Fang? List your qualities and I'll be the judge." I raised an eyebrow, waiting.

His eyes were still hard. "_I _use my real name, not some stupid nickname."

Fang sucked in a breath, obviously trying not to laugh.

"I came up with his nickname." I told him, feeling more insulted than Fang, apparently.

Fang gave my side a comforting squeeze.

Dylan's mouth twitched at his mistake. _Yeah, oops. _"I've known you since college."

"I've known Fang since high school and before that." When he and Iggy were freshmen, I was still an eighth grader and they had started hanging out at that time.

"I understand what you say."

"Fang knows what I think,"

_He's losing._

"I think you're hot,"

"Fang believes I'm beautiful."

_He's losing and he knows it._

"I know you're smart."

"Fang helped me get smart."

_He so knows it._

"I never left you," He snarled.

I faltered for a bit. It was true, Dylan had never left me once he had met me. Fang had. But Fang left to have a life. If I had made him stay, I would have just tied him down and felt horrible about it all. That was why I hadn't chased after him. Surely, Fang knew that. I looked up at him, biting my lip, hoping he knew what I was thinking.

Fang smiled at me and brushed my hair behind my ear. He looked at Dylan and glared again. "I came back."

I smiled to myself, looking at Dylan again. He was right. He had come back. Knowing Dylan, if he had left for something so big and worthwhile, he would go without ever looking or coming back, not even just to visit. He was just that selfish.

I nodded, approving Fang's answer. "He came back," I repeated, whispering it, caressing it with my voice.

"_I would die for you_!" Dylan shouted. He was upset- in more ways than one.

…How the hell was Ella still asleep after all the screaming?

I shrugged it off as Fang answered, just as deadly but more quiet. "I would live for her because dying for her meant leaving her. I would never leave her- _not_ _again_. It wouldn't just hurt me, it would also hurt her if I were to ever leave like that. So I _wouldn't_ die for her because living is the best thing I can do." That answer sent chills down my spine, both frightening and loving. It would kill me if Fang had ever died. I never wanted that to happen.

Dylan looked at me, gauging my reaction to what both of them had said. I didn't show any emotion while I made him believe I was weighing the options. I smiled widely, lovingly. "He would live for me," I murmured, happy about Fang's response to Dylan's outburst. I stared up at him, letting all my love shine through my eyes. "That's all I've ever asked of him." Well, okay, that was a white lie. I did ask him to stay but whatever! It sounded more romantic, what I had said.

Fang smirked, seeming to read my mind as usual. He leaned his head down and pressed his lips to mine gently. He didn't want to get carried away in front of Dylan- the kitchen was right near us and I'm sure Fang didn't want to get stabbed.

When he pulled away, I looked at Dylan to see utter disgust, repulsion, sorrow, and anger in his eyes. And on his face. "Dylan, I think it's time you left." He looked at me and the sorrow came through bigger than last time. "Go back to Lissa."

He clenched his jaw, eyes shining, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I wrapped my other arm around Fang's waist and held him so we were front-to-front. We swayed side-to-side as Fang pulled me closer. "So, you would live for me, huh?"

He smiled at me, brightening up the room. "Forever and ever." He promised. "Or until you're gone- then I'd follow you in a heartbeat."

I blushed, suddenly loving this romantic side of Fang. I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were just trying for another round tonight." I teased.

"Do you know any better?" He joked back. I could see some seriousness in his eyes and I heard the double meaning in his words.

I smiled, shaking my head. "No." I leaned up and planted my lips on his.

He let my waist go and raked his hands up my sides, up to my face. He cupped my face in his hands, his fingers tangling in my hair. He sucked on my bottom lip before pulling his mouth off mine. "I love you, Max."

"I love you, too." I gave him my best smile and he pulled me toward him for another kiss.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my fingers and hands in his hair, holding his face to mine. One of his arms snaked around my waist. His other hand slid down my cheek, along my throat- making me groan, which I was rather miffed about-, and down my front so he could get to the bottom of my shirt. His fingers crawled under the fabric and slithered up my stomach, giving me chills. His hand grabbed my chest gently. I ground my hips into his before removing my lips and tongue from his mouth.

"I think we should take this into the bedroom before Ella walks out of hers." I whispered, my voice husky and rough.

Fang spun me around so my back was to his front. His hand hadn't left my chest. He slid his feet under mine while he kissed at my neck. His hand than had been around my waist teased at my shorts' waistline, running his fingers along it and a little under the waistband. I gasped at the sensation.

"Only if I can have you all to myself." He murmured against my nick, biting down on the flesh.

I almost moaned at all the feelings he had stirring in me. I held it back but a tiny whimper slipped through: I was too aroused to be embarrassed.

Fang must have either felt the same way or had guessed at it because he started hurrying to the bedroom. He had me open the door since he didn't want to stop what he was doing. Meanwhile, as I was turning to doorknob, his fingers dove under the shorts and under my underwear, making me groan in surprise. I turned the knob and Fang kicked the door in, shuffling us quickly to the bed, the door closing by itself form the momentum on his kick.

_**~!~**_

I sighed as I turned over, crawling closer to the warmth next to me. I slowly opened my eyes to see a stomach next to my face, my arm curled around it. My nose was to the bellybutton.

I recognized that bellybutton.

I leaned forward, toward it, and rested my head against the soft skin. I looked up at Fang's serene face as he watched me with adoring eyes. I smiled at him softly.

"Hiya, stranger," My voice was low and husky- sexy, I realized. I never realized the sex appeal I held until now.

He smiled back, smoothing the hair from my face and just playing with it. "Hey," his voice was just as low but it didn't hold the roughness like mine. It was sexy all on its own.

I sighed again, content. I relaxed my head, putting it back in its original position. I closed my eyes and turned so my lips were at his skin. I kissed his stomach, feeling his pulse under my lips. I bit down, leaving a small mark.

_Mine._

He was all mine. And no one else's. I had never been this happy in my entire life.

I moved my lips around his stomach, kissing and biting several places. I reached his naval and licked it, kissing it right after. I could feel Fang's heart beat faster and his arousal at my elbow where my arm was bent, holding me to him. I smirked against his skin, repeating the gesture. I had no idea I held this kind of power over Fang.

"How about another round?" I offered. I looked up at him through my hair, giving him my smile again. I rested my chin on his stomach, just under his bellybutton. I exhaled through my mouth, very slowly, letting the air run across his naval. I could feel him shiver. I smirked once again as I settled myself between his legs, slightly closer to his face but still at his torso. I traced his abdominal muscles while my finger, letting it go _just _low enough… and then bringing it back up to start all over again. "I wouldn't mind another, would you?" My voice was all innocent, not matching my expression one bit.

Fang grabbed my wrists and flipped us over, pinning my arms above my head. There was a growled building in his throat and it would have been really loud if I hadn't caught it with my mouth, kissing him so hard, I'm sure my lips would be swollen the next day.

_**~!~**_

I groaned as I rolled over, pain between my legs. Not _holy-fuck-I'm-going-to-die_ pain but _holy-fuck-that-was-amazing-I'm-going-to-die _pain. I was alone on my bed and I slowly sat up, looking around, fully awake. I slid out of bed, giggling about last night.

Fang and I hadn't just had those two rounds. We had had three more after that. I was more energized than I thought I would be this morning. I grabbed my black lace bra and panty set and put it on before pulling on a blue spaghetti strap shirt and dark blue wash jeans. I put on a red, black, and blue short-sleeved, button-up shirt. It was checkerboard.

I fixed my hair and brushed my teeth before leaving my room and heading toward the kitchen. Fang was at the stove, Iggy at his side, while Nudge and Ella were relaxing on the couch, reading People Magazine, amongst other ones.

Iggy was working the bacon and sausage while Fang made chocolate chip pancakes and Belgian waffles. Mmm…

I walked over to the stove and wrapped my arms around my man's waist. "Good morning," I greeted quietly, my chin resting on his shoulder as I stood on my toes.

Iggy looked over at us and saw the identical smiles on our faces. He grinned at us but his nose wrinkled. "I'm glad you two are happy but I recognize those smiles," he pointed to our faces, both of us staring at him. "_Someone got lucky. Someone got lucky!_" He sang, laughing and I beat him with my fist, barely caring if he accused us of it. I mean, it was true and he just opened up teasing about him and Nudge.

"Iggy, leave them be," Nudge ordered lightly, not even looking up from her magazine. "Morning, Max," She greeted after a second, smiling at me.

Iggy shut up and went back to cooking.

I laughed. "_Fang_," I sang in his ear.

"Hm?" He acknowledged as he moved pancakes off the pan and onto a plate: he didn't want them to burn so he didn't look at me.

"Iggy's whipped." I chuckled, running my teeth along his ear before kissing it. I backed away while he was lost in the thought of that action, chocolate pancake in my hand. I turned and sat next to Ella and Nudge, taking a bite of it.

Ella laughed, seeing the almost completely eaten pancake in my hand. I winked at her. "I suppose you'd be hungry after what went on last night."

"Ew- you heard them?" Nudge looked grossed out.

Ella laughed even more. "No. Well, I heard you guys in here on your _way_ to your room," She gave me a sickened expression before smiling sadly. "But I also heard Dylan."

"_Dylan_?" Iggy and Nudge yelled, Iggy dropping the tongs used for the food.

I nodded. "Yeah. He… stopped by last night."

"Was he drunk and looking for pussy?" Nudge asked, enraged. I had to admit, he has done that before so none of us put it beneath him.

"No. He dumped Lissa, thinking he and I finally had a chance since Fang was in town."

"Oh my gosh, Nudge, it was so romantic!" Ella started going into detail about what happened while we ate breakfast in the family room instead of the kitchen table. Fang and I sat on the recliner, me in his lap; Iggy and Nudge were curled up on one side of the couch while Ella was sprawled on the other side.

"Oh, Fang!" Nudge cooed, enthralled by the idea of having a man stand up for her like Fang had for me. "That was _so _romantic!"

"Yeah…" Iggy mumbled to himself before grinning like a maniac and punching Fang in the shoulder. "Who knew you had it in you?"

Fang smirked, kissing my shoulder. "I don't know," He said softly, resting his head on my shoulder, his fingers gliding up and down my arm.

"Who knew Fang would get so _jealous_?" Nudge teased, giggling.

I smiled. "I did." I laughed and then looked down at him, through my lashes. "And I'm glad he did."

He grinned and kissed my lips, licking the leftover chocolate off my bottom one.

_Oh, how I love my gentle man._

**Hey, everyone. So, just to clear it up, no, my computer did not get fixed. I'm on my mom's old one. I hoped you liked the chapter! :) I know, I know, it's a little more... informative than other ones I've written but I don't know, I felt like I should have written it that way. And let me know if any of you want me to write the chapter as a one-shot, extended to its full length, meaning the rated M moments. I'm not afraid to write it so let me know. :o)**

**Anyway, I won't update until I get around 30-42 reviews! And I'm serious about it. :) So, R&R! (-.-) Kirby demands it!**


	16. Just Let It Go, Fang, Let It Go

I sighed, happy, and faced the class. Everyone was so energized. Today was the day they all started rehearsing with their little bands. The groups were scattered through the choir room and band room. Iggy was pouting in my office because a group of kids chose a song that had a piano.

I strolled into my office, grinning down at Iggy. "Go next door and be with Nudge," I advised.

He looked up at me. "You sure?"

I nodded, laughing. "Yeah, I'm sure. Go on. I'm sure she wants you as much as you want her,"

He smiled and hugged me, kissing my forehead. He left my office, in search of Nudge.

I sat down in my chair. It'd been three weeks since Dylan's little drop-by. Everything was going great! Ella wasn't being bullied anymore; she was finally starting to act like herself again. Iggy and Nudge weren't as lost as they used to be now that they lived together. And Fang and I…

We could never be stronger than we are now.

Speaking of Fang, he waltzed into my office, sitting on the couch where Iggy once sat. He stared at me before smiling, his dark eyes shining.

I smiled back and rolled the chair over to him. "Hiya, Stranger," I whispered.

"Hey, yourself," He leaned toward me and gave me a peck on the lips before moving his hand to slowly close my office door.

I recognized that look in his eye. I caught the door and swung it back open. "Fang, _no_,"

He tilted his head. "Hadn't you always wanted to? Back when we were younger?"

I laughed. "Yeah! When there was the thrill of getting detention or suspended!"

"Well, what's the difference now?"

"Hmm, oh, I don't know, I could get _fired_?" I stared at him, smiling in a _hands off_ manner. He sighed.

"Fine, fine, fine. Hey, I got something great to tell you," His smile returned and he leaned toward, holding onto the armrests of my chair. I looked at him expectantly, a smile still on my face. "My old record producer called- he wants me back in New York!"

My smile slipped. "H-How is this great news?" I shut my office door so I could speak louder. "How the _fuck _is you leaving great news?"

Fang stood with me and lightly grabbed the tops of my arms. "No, Max, you don't get it. He wants _both of us_ to go. He thinks both of us would make a great addition to the record label; we'd be great as a duet!"

I paced around, trying to wrap my head around it all. I placed the palm of my hand to my forehead. "Fang, I can't just leave!" I yelled, finally facing him. "I have family here, I've got friends! I have a life here; I can't drop it all and follow you to New York!" Why was he doing this to me again? It's graduation all over again! "I love my job here; I love these students! I can't just leave them-!"

"Max, think about your future! Think about how successful we'll be if we do this?" Fang was still smiling hopefully.

I dropped my hands to my sides. "I'm sorry, Fang." I whispered, looking at him, seeing his smile fall and the hurt set into his eyes. "I'm really sorry but I just can't."

I went to reach for his hand but he pulled it out of my reach. "You know, I don't even know why I bothered," He smiled, a little sad and a little angry.

"Bothered asking me?" I asked, staring up at him.

He glared at me, reaching for my office doorknob. "Bothered coming back," He flung the door open and stormed out, heading for the band room.

I barely noticed that everyone had gone quiet in the room- they had for a while. I barely noticed Ella calling my name. All I noticed was the empty space around me where Fang had stood a second ago. And all I noticed were the tears falling down my face.

**_-!-_**

Ella stomped her way to the band room, shoving the connecting door away from her and she entered. She sent a death glare at her uncle. "You get your mother fucking sorry ass back in there, Nicholas Fang Wolf!" She screeched, pointing at the door leading to the choir room.

Everyone hushed immediately, staring at Ella and her uncle. Fang glared right back at her.

"Watch your damn language, Ella," He warned, turning to look at papers once again.

She ran over in a huff and tore the papers from his hands, Fang looking over his shoulder at her, his lip curled up in fury.

"Give them back, Ella," He ordered.

She shook her head. "No. No, not until you get back in there and apologize for being an asshole."

Fang reached for the papers but Ella stepped back, evading him easily. Ella knew he wasn't as angry as he seemed; he was upset- cry worthy upset- that Max didn't want to go to New York.

"The hell I will- Ella, give them back now. I have work to-"

"You're such a pussy," She yelled. "You little pussy, you wuss! You're such a coward- all you do is bitch and moan when things don't go the way you want! You did the same thing to Mom!"

"Watch yourself, Ella," He warned, his voice low.

"You drive away the people you love when they won't follow you like a lost puppy!" She continued as if he didn't speak. "You did that to Mom and now you're doing it to Max _again-_!"

"How the fuck can I love someone who doesn't want to be with me?" He shrieked, practically flailing his arms around in his rage.

_~.~.~_

I sank lower as I heard Fang yell. He's right.

There's no way he can love me. I'm a nobody and I don't deserve him- I never did. He had potential for so much and I didn't- I was holding him back. I should let him go without me. Of course, I'm sure he would anyway since he just broke up with me.

I sighed, wiping my face, trying to look more presentable, as I stood. I turned into the classroom and almost everyone was busily working, chatting too loud to mean anything good. They all heard. They heard our fight and they can hear Fang and Ella's.

_~.~.~_

"To hell with that!" Ella yelled, stunned he even thought that. She threw the papers on the ground in her sudden anger.

Fang stared at the papers calmly before looking back up at her. "You're picking those up," He pointed at the papers.

Ella walked over them to get in Fang's face. "How the hell can you think that about Max? She loves you! She loves you more than herself!" Her nostrils flared with her crazy anger, Fang noticed.

"I doubt it," His voice was hard but he wasn't yelling anymore. Fang decided to leave that to Ella. Being louder doesn't mean you're right.

"So just because she didn't want to leave her family, friends, and job, she doesn't love you anymore-?"

"She didn't follow the first time!" Fang yelled without wanting to. He stepped back to pace behind him, running both his hands through his hair, turning on his heel to walk up to Ella again. "She didn't follow… didn't want…" His voice was rough with pain and sorrow of the past.

Ella stared at him, confused. "Fang, what are you talking about?"

"I waited for an hour at the airport for her the first time. She never showed up, not even to say goodbye with her family." His eyes betrayed his hateful expression, showing all his grief and pain in his heart.

"Did you think that maybe she didn't know you were waiting? That maybe she didn't get the message that you waited? That she had no idea?"

"She knows now and she still won't go with me,"

"Maybe Max wants to settle down here. She has a stable job- which is hard to come by in this fucking economy- and her family and all her friends are here. I honestly don't think she'd survive if you left again." Ella took a long, deep, calming breath. "Don't let Dylan win," She whispered, praying it would work.

_~.~.~_

I had finally gotten my class under control and they were ignoring the fight next door.

"Is there a Maximum Ride here?" A voice came from the door.

I turned to see two officers in uniform. Everyone in class started chattering once again, wondering what was going on, what I did, who they should kill, etc, etc. I slowly shushed them as I walked over.

"I am Max Ride," I informed them, staring at them warily. What was going on?

Officer One, John, came over and grabbed my wrist, handcuffing it behind my back. "Max Ride, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say-"

"Yes, I understand." I almost snapped, cutting him off, staring at Varner, the other officer. Now I understood what was going on: kind of. Varner was one of William's friends. "Might I ask _why_ I am being arrested?"

My class was going crazy, people shouting and texting, calling other people from different classes and calling home.

"We got an anonymous call saying you had pot in your apartment and found a bag in a box in your room." He explained, pulling my from the other officer.

Of course. William must have planted it. He always said my life would be destroyed from my stupidity. I guess the stupidity was from dating him. If he couldn't hurt me physically, he could hurt me this way. That smart son of a bitch!

And there was no way out of it- they found it and no evidence for frame. I let them handcuff me. Varner held one arm and John held the other. I guess they thought I looked threatening. Good- I was.

I saw Angel sprint out of the room through the connecting door to the band room.

_~.~.~_

"Quit your bitching and get in here!" Angel yelled at Fang and Ella, breaking their fight. They looked at her. "Max is getting arrested!" She led Fang, Ella, Nudge, and Iggy back into the choir room with more students following them.

Iggy saw red. No way were they arresting his baby sister: no way in hell. He clenched his fists.

"Oh, Max…" Nudge murmured, covering her mouth with her hand. Her best friend in handcuffs. She never thought she'd see this day. She always thought Iggy would get arrested first, for peeing in public or something.

Ella was stunned- too stunned for words. She slithered around the back of the classroom, hiding behind students, trying to get closer to get some information on the two officers. Max was her idol, her second mother, her best friend. No way was she letting them take her.

Fang didn't have any coherent thought in his mind. All he could focus on was Max, nothing else. Just her. Max. How did it come to this: handcuffed, being arrested? What did she do? Fang shook that thought away. Max _didn't do anything, I just know it. _Something's up…

_~.~.~_

Iggy started forward but Nudge and Angel held him back, Gazzy helping. They all knew Iggy would try to kill Varner and John.

I stared back at Fang and almost sighed. This would be the last time I saw him for a long time. I wanted to leave on a good note, not remembering each other in a fight but in a sweet moment.

"Varner, can I at least say goodbye?" My voice was rough with sorrow.

He nodded hesitantly and then let me go, John following his example. I walked over to Fang, everyone going quiet once again, shifting my cuffed arms.

"Max…" His usually soft voice was even softer but it sounded so loud in the still room.

"I just…" I sighed, starting over, my voice still quiet. "I wanted you to know something,"

He placed his hands on my upper arms sadly, nodding, ready for whatever I was going to say: it seemed like he was ready for a rejection.

"I have always loved you," And it was true. I loved his old and new self, everything about him, I was crazy about. "And I always will." I understood that he may not love me anymore because I wouldn't follow him but I just needed him to know. I needed him to know so I wouldn't go crazy over the _what if_'s.

Fang pressed his lips to mine fiercely, urgently. Our lips molded together perfectly, in sync, like puzzle pieces. The kiss could have gotten more passionate, going on longer, if Varner hadn't cleared his throat.

Fang pulled away, his head still close to mine. "I'll find a way," He promised determinedly. "I'll find a way to set you free," He was whispering quickly, looking so distraught. "I promise,"

Varner started pulling at me but I stayed grounded, shaking my head, tears in my eyes, at Fang.

"This is one thing you can't fix," I told him. The officers started pulling me along, me stumbling. "Let it go- just let it go, Fang." I whispered.

He looked so upset- at least, to me- and he reached for one more time to place on last kiss on my lips. I was forced away from everyone and hauled out of the room, crying openly.

My life was officially over.

* * *

**Hey, everyone! I know, I know- this is stupid. Too be honest, I kind of agreed but this was the best that I could write down from what went on in my mind. I imagined it as too much of a movie scene in my mind so... But anyway, I hope you liked the chapter? I'm tired, I've been writing since midnight and it's 5:11 AM so Imma hit the hay. Night! R&R**


	17. We're Doing All We Can

I sighed as I sat down on the bunk in my cell. I shared with one other girl. She held her hand out to me, waiting for me to grasp it.

"I don't shake hands," I stated, wincing. No offense to her but I didn't trust any jailbird's hand. Not even mine anymore, I suppose.

She laughed. "Fair enough," She dropped her hand into her lap. "I'm Shannon," She smiled at me. "I'm in here for hit & run, though it wasn't me, just my car. What about you?"

I hesitated before telling her, figuring there was really no point. "My abusive ex-boyfriend planted drugs in my apartment. His friend is a cop and got him to arrest me. Why are you in jail if it wasn't you- just your car?"

She shrugged before looking in her lap. "My brother... He has some disabilities although he denies them. A little too much, as well. And, well, he took my car out for a joyride and he hit one of the little girls that lived down the street. And then he drove off. Since my brother is older and has a criminal record- shoplifting, things like that- he would have been in here way long and might have gone for the death sentence. I took the blame and they said eight years in jail since I'm blind in one eye. They figure the disability is what had led to the hit & run."

I blinked. "If you're blind in one eye then you're not supposed to drive. At all. Ever. Didn't they catch you on that?"

She shook her head. "No," She smiled again. "I'm just glad it's me and not my brother. He'd have gone suicidal if he were in jail. I'm sorry about you though," She grimaced. "Your ex-boyfriend is a total asshole,"

I laughed. "You don't say," I sighed. "Honestly, I don't really care that I'm here- more the fact that I can't take care of my family because of all this."

Shannon nodded, understanding. She twirled a ring around her finger. "I know what you mean. I have four kids; three are eight and the fourth is five. My husband can't handle them and my brother, though I'm sure Davis was kicked out because of all this." She laughed once without humor. "Funny how a family can fall apart without one person,"

"My family is a little different than yours..."

"Not married? Illegitimate children?"

I laughed. "No. I'm a school teacher. Choir director, actually." I told her everything about my classes, my students, and my family and friends. It felt great to get everything out. To just... get it all off my chest and be free for a change, for an instant, and not feel suffocated.

She smiled at me. "The best kind of family is the kind that's drawn to one another."

I smiled back, my hand held out to her. "I couldn't agree more,"

She clasped my hand in hers, shaking it as we smiled at each other respectively.

Ella sighed as she ran down the hall to Omega's classroom. As she opened the door, she was tackled, all of the sudden in the middle of the classroom. She kicked Omega off of her.

"Good, Ella, great strength," He praised. "Although, I have no idea why you're here," He titled his head confused.

"Max was arrested!" She screamed in an incredulous tone. "Why isn't anyone doing anything?"

"Because you're not supposed to know what we're all doing," Omega responded, instructing his students to do their cool-down stretches. "It's been a week, Max is our family, do you _honestly_ believe that we'd go longer than a millisecond without doing something?"

Ella shrugged, helpless. "I'm desperate."

Omega hugged her to his side, rubbing his hand up and down her arm for comfort. "I know, I know. We all are. Sadly, whomever planted the drugs has inside help. It's not a normal case, the officer will be trying to keep her incarcirated. Ella, we're trying, trust me when I say that, alright?"

She nodded, sighing. She felt like crying- Max wasn't there at all, ever, anymore. She was locked up, no doubt worried for everyone and scared for herself (though she'd never admit it). Fang was depressed all the time, a total trainwreck. He wouldn't talk to anyone ever and barely ate. When he slept, he slept on the couch, almost never going into his and Max's bedroom. She knew why. He'd see their bed, smell her scent, remember things that happened in that room, see her personal belongings. Ella didn't think Fang would be able to handle that at all. She nearly locked the room off to him for fear of him going berserk. Iggy and Nudge weren't themselves either.

Iggy never cracked any jokes and, from what she heard of Nudge, didn't try to start anything. Though, Nudge wouldn't either, nor would she babble like usual. SHe would say three words, mainly, at most, and then shut up the rest of the time.

Angel and Gazzy were quiet and unenthusiastic. No one was the same without Max around. No one. Jeb and Val prayed that what Max was charged off would be dropped and that she could return to work without a problem. Sam, however, gave up hope, jumping after another tail since Max's wasn't there to look at every day.

And Dylan...

Well, no one had seen Dylan. But they were all sure that he was devastated- Lissa sure was. She went crying to Nudge and Iggy, worried. She didn't even care that Dylan tried to leave her for said-arrested girl. All she wanted was for Max to be safe and out of jail.

All anyone wanted was for Max to be in their arms, safe from everything and anything.

**Okay, it's short, yes, but it's my Christmas present to you all. I finally got the plot back under control and I finally remembered where the hell I was going with this all- kind of, lol. Anyway, there'll be another chapter soon, I hope. Anyway, my Dad got my computer fixed again but he forgot to install Word so everything I type is on here, on an old document that I had uploaded a long time ago- I'm just going over it and typing all these chapters for different things. It's so confusing! Anyway, um, so, Christmas... my aunt got me a sewing machine so now I can make things for my friends and bitches ;3 my brothers got Mum and I a red Wii (surprisingly), and _Santa_ got me an iTouch, so I'll be superduper busy with those! lol, but I do hope I am able to finish this before summer. I have other things i want to write and I'm going to give myself a time limit and update limit.**

**So here it is: time limit is= no more than a year and a half. Would like to finish it in less than 1 year.  
update limit= There will be no updating unless I get the actual review count number to be what I ask (mainly staying at 15 or more).  
And the last limit to go with it all= If I don't getthe review quota met, the time limit, or both, then the story will be discontinued for three months.**

**All that will make organization and updating easier actually, if you think about it. If I have a deadline, I won't slack, I'll make it the best I can, with possible long chapters. If I have a quota to be met, I'll be happy enough to write more and WANT to update. It's not a joke when people say reviews are appreciated. They determine how fast someone will update.**

**Anywhoo, reviews are appreciated! :3 (And the time limit thing starts now for this story= if this isn't done by summer, I'll just cry. And I would LOVE fifteen reviews!)**


	18. Now Where's The Fun In That?

_Two weeks in jail._

_With no visitors._

_At all._

_Ever._

_Why?_

_Does no one care for me? Does Iggy want to stay in bed with Nudge instead of visit his baby sister in jail?_

_...Okay, scratch that, he probably does._

_But do Ella, Angel, and Gazzy not want to see me? Me, who took care of them as my own children with their parents died or bailed?_

_Or Jeb and Val? They were like me second set of parents. Why didn't they visit, if not to just see how I was doing, but to fire me officially?_

_Or... or Fang. I loved him, still do, yet no visit. We were happy together, up until the last couple minutes, but I thought the happiness we shared was enough to make him want to see me again._

_I guess I was wrong._

Shannon bopped me on my head and I looked up at her from my notebook. I raised my eyebrow at her. "Erase it. Erase it all." She pointed to the page I was writing on. "I didn't get Richard to buy a notebook and pencil for you to just write your miserable thoughts in. I made him buy you one so you could write your poetry." She placed her hands on the edge of my bed, resting her chin on them, smiling at me. Her voice lowered. "I liked that one poem, _If We Ever Meet Again_, it was pretty. Sad, though."

I rolled my eyes. Richard was Shannon's husband and he visited her every day at the same time, right before noon, bringing their children with and food for both of us now. He had visited for both of us so I could get some extra company and see fresher faces. "Shannon, I don't write poetry, I write songs. Besides, it's my notebook now, I can write what I want," I grumbled.

She gasped slowly, almost a sigh of ecstasy. "A _song_," She mused, twirling. "I love songs!" She faced me and smiled at me, showing her surprisingly pearly white teeth. "Sing me one?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, Shannon. I'm not going to sing,"

"Max!" She whined, dragging herself back over to the beds, placing her arms and chin back onto my mattress since I had the top bunk. "You were a choir teacher! Don't tell me you were the kind of teacher that taught the subject but has no idea what to do with it."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I can too sing, if that's what you're implying,"

She shrugged. "I didn't say that- you came up with that all on your own," She winked. "But, yes, I was implying that," She placed her own journal on her mattress before backing up against the wall opposite the beds. "Now sing!"

I sighed and set my notebook by my side, putting the pencil between pages. "_If I could write you a song to make you fall in love I'd already have you up under my arm I used up all of my tricks I hope that you like this but you probably won't you think you're cooler than me_."

Shannon bopped me on the head again to make me shut up. I glared.

"You know, that's really annoying," I informed her, rubbing my head.

She shrugged. "Tough nuts," I raised an eyebrow at her. "Sing something meant for a girl that's actually singing. _Cooler Than Me _is mainly speaking and a guy sings it,"

I groaned and skimmed through songs in my head. "_When I was younger I saw my daddy cry And curse at the wind He broke his own heart And I watched As he tried to reassemble it And my momma swore that She would never let herself forget And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love If it does not exist But darling, You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception Maybe I know, somewhere Deep in my soul That love never lasts And we've got to find other ways To make it alone Keep a straight face._"

As I sang, other jailmates crowded around the entrance to the small single cell that Shannon and I were cooped up in. I smiled, seeing their contentment.

"_And I've always lived like this Keeping a comfortable, distance And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm Content with loneliness Because none of it was ever worth the risk Well, You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception I've got a tight grip on reality But I can't Let go of what's in front of me here I know you're leaving In the morning, when you wake up Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream Ohh- You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception You, are, the only exception And I'm on my way to believing Oh, And I'm on my way to believing_." {The Only Exception [Glee version]}

I wiped at my eyes as the girls clapped, trying to hide my tears. Other girls were crying too, openly.

_Why couldn't Fang just visit me?_

* * *

Fang punched his pillow again, letting his anger out. He didn't know what to do, how to get Max out of jail. He tried visiting her but Officer Varner didn't allow him. He knew something was up, he just knew. Yet, he was helpless.

Everyone was.

No one was allowed to visit Max. Except one man but no one knew who was visiting her.

Ella shuffled out of her room, in her pajamas and slippers, and stood at the end of the couch. "Fang," She called softly.

Fang turned his self-hate-filled eyes toward her, instantly softening his gaze as he observed how upset she was. He opened his arms as he sat up, flinging his legs over the edge of the couch.

She leapt at the chance and hugged him tightly, reminding him of when she was little and had a nightmare the nights he babysat her. She sniffled, a sob wracking through her body. "Why did they have to take her from us?"

Fang sighed, running his fingers through her hair. "I don't know,"

She scrubbed at her eyes, looking up at him. "Did you try to visit her too?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Ella paused before asking, praying, hoping, for a positive answer. "And?"

"Everyone's prohibited from visiting her,"

Ella spun quickly, punching the same pillow Fang had not so long before. She jumped to her feet, furiously pacing the living room. "This is unfair! They can't do that! They can't deny her the right of visitors!"

Fang stood, grabbing Ella by the shoulders, stopping her from continuing her pattern. "I know. Ella, I know. You're not the only one worried here,"

"Really? Because it sure does seem like it! No one else is trying to figure out a way to get in! All of you are just wallowing and being depressed! Me? I've been going through every law book I know at the library, going every single day, as long as I'm allowed inside, and I haven't found anything to help us! Not anything at all! I have a right to be worried because I'm the one trying and I'm the one failing! I'm not worried about not being able to get in, like all of you!" She screeched, effectively scaring Fang into retrieving his hands from her shoulders, half-believing she would bite him if she had the chance. "I'm worried I won't be able to get her out," She whispered the last part before covering her mouth, hiding her sobs, entrapping them before they escaped.

Fang pulled her to his chest, hugging her tightly, comforting her. "Ella, I just don't know what to do. There's nothing to prove that she's innocent-" Fang stopped himself, turning over his words in his mind. "That's it," He murmured, letting Ella go. "That's it!" He ran to his and Max's room, pausing as he held the doorknob.

"What's it, Fang?" Ella asked, wiping her eyes as she walked over to his side.

Fang looked at her over his shoulder, smirking. "I'm not too sure myself. I just hope I'm right," He opened the door and turned on the light.

The bed was still unmade and left as it had been the morning she was taken. His and Max's clothing were strewn across the floor, leading toward the bed, showing the obvious actions taken place on it. The closet was open, a box tucked in the corner. Fang walked over and grabbed two clean shirts from the dresser before picking it up, using the shirts to keep his fingerprints off of it.

"What's that?" Ella asked as he walked past, into the kitchen.

He set the box on the table. "It might be what we were looking for," He nodded over to the cabinets. "Can you grab rubber gloves from the emergency kit? I don't want to taint evidence,  
if that's what we can call it."

Ella grabbed two sets of gloves, a pair for her and a pair for Fang. They opened the box and Ella scrunched her nose at the smell, Fang grimacing.

"Ugh!" She groaned, pinching her nose. "What the hell is that smell?"

"That," Fang shuddered, utterly repulsed. "is the smell of William,"

"Who's that? A dead rabbit?" Ella stepped back a few steps to suck in a couple gasps of fresh air before re-approaching the box.

"William was Max's ex that visited a while back, he ruined the journal you restored."

"Oh," Ella blinked. "Damn, Max had bad taste,"

Fang chuckled bitterly. "You don't say," He started digging through the box.

Ella picked up a shirt from inside, laying it on the table so she could see the shape. "Oh, what a shame," She pouted. "That was a nice shirt. Could have been used as a nightshirt. It looks like something you'd wear actually," Ella looked up from the shirt to Fang.

Fang glanced at the shirt and back at the box before doing a doubletake. _Wait a second..._

The torn shirt was black and short-sleeved. The edges of the sleeves, the neckline, and the hem at the bottom were worn with age, being a slightly different shade of black, lighter, and ripped from use. He laid out the slashed areas on the shirt to see the design, closing the rips with his fingers. When he saw the design on the front, he recognized Jimi Hendrix's face fading in from the surrounding black, almost like a ghostly shadow.

He could see Max wearing the shirt, waking up in the morning, her hair a mess, her eyes groggy and half-asleep, the shirt ending mid-thigh, and her stretching with the shirt riding higher. He could see her turning onto her stomach, her unruly hair falling around her face as she climbed closer to the head of the bed, toward his smiling face and awaiting arms.

"Fang?" Ella softly placed her hand on his upper arm, worried, her concern showing on her face.

Fang looked at her and realized he had started crying silently while he had been staring at the shirt. His devastation showed in his eyes as he stared back down at the destroyed shirt.

"That was yours, wasn't it?" Ella asked, already knowing the answer. She didn't expect a response.

He nodded, wiping his eyes with his arm. "I gave it to her after having been together for a month," He sighed. "It had been my favorite shirt and hers so I knew she'd love it. I guess Will didn't seem to like it at all,"

He folded it carefully and placed it to the side, taking out other things. He came across a box of photos. Most had Max's face cut out, others just had pen scribbled over to hide her. In all the photos, William was the main part of it. He was always in the middle of the frame, Max either half-behind him or at his side, half cut off. And in each and every one, Max's stance showed that she wasn't happy, her arms crossed, posture slouched and hunched. And leaning away from William, always leaning away.

There were some other photos that were obviously taken by William, his arm on the edge of the photo, showing he was holding it up to face himself. Fang was disgusted and handed them to Ella so he could look through more.

"Fang," Ella nudged Fang's arm as she stared at the photos, eyes wide. Fang looked over at her and, seeing her expression, looked at the photos. His eyes widened and he snatched them from her hands.

"Oh my God," He murmured, covering Ella's eyes with his free hand. She was shivering.

Because in Fang's hand were pictures of Max and William in the bedroom. Because in Fang's hand were pictures of Max asleep on the bed while William was awake.

Because in Fang's hand were pictures of Max in her bedroom in her apartment-

The apartment where Fang and Ella were standing in that very moment.

Max wasn't just asleep in the photos- William was in the frame as well, having taken the photos himself, his arm was cut off by the side, and he was choking her. Or cutting her.

Each and every photo, one after another, all different days, Max was asleep, without knowledge of a crazy, abusive ex hovering over her, hurting her.

Fang thought back to the day he met William. He and Ella had tagged along to Max and Iggy's apartment to hang out, Nudge included. He remembered walking up to the apartment complex's door before stopping, seeing Max halt in front of him.

_He held a key in his hand and there was a box by his feet._ He hadn't known Max had been at the school late for the concert. He had been about to go up, drop the box off, and hurt her more.

Fang threw the photos on the table and faced Ella, uncovering her eyes. He knew why she was shaking.

If William had been hurting her while he snuck into the apartment, what else would he have been doing?

"Ella," He forced her to look at his face and not at the table where the photographs laid strewn across the wood. "Go to Iggy and Nudge's and call the cops. Make sure you ask that  
Officer Varner and his partner do not come along," he nudged her to the door. "Go, _now_!"

Ella ran to the door, thrusting it open before screaming, seeing a man standing before her.

* * *

Iggy whipped his head to his right to stare over at Nudge, eyes wide.

Nudge stood, eyes worried. "Ella," she breathed.

Iggy and Nudge ran for the door to their apartment, almost tearing it down as they ripped it open. Ella stood in the doorway to her apartment, hands over her mouth, chest heaving with deep breaths, eyes wide, like a deer caught in the headlights. She was shivering.

Fang was at her side, glaring at the man in the hallway. Iggy and Nudge were standing at his back.

Ella weakly swatted at Fang, making sure he didn't kill the guy. "He didn't do anything- he just startled me, that's all," Her voice wavered and was rough from the blood curddling scream. "After what I saw earlier... Just startled me, that's all,"

Iggy and Nudge went over to Ella's side, Nudge holding her to her side, making sure she would fall should she faint. Iggy was by Fang, ready to back him up in case of a fight.

"I'm- I'm sorry. Um, I just... That is, I didn't mean to... Are you Fang Wolf?" The man addressed Fang.

Fang nodded. "Yes." He trailed his eyes up and down his character, seeing what he might have to deal with.

The man was tall, a little taller than Fang. British. His hair was long and black, tied into a ponytail at the base of his neck. His eyes were bright blue, almost like ice. His skin was pale, almost ghostly so. He wore a dark blue V-neck shirt and black slacks with a black leather trench coat on. He wore simple black hightops on his feet.

"Again, I'm sorry about that. And that I'm visiting so late," His voice was smooth, light, yet too matured to be a twenty-six-year-old's. It sounded... old, and worn, at the same time young and lively. "My name is Richard. I'm a friend of Max's. She sent me,"

Iggy went limp, not believing what he was hearing. This man... This man was sent by Max? No, he couldn't have been. Max wasn't allowed any visitors. Iggy shook his head.

Nudge was the same. She didn't believe the man one bit. After what happened, after all she tried to get to see Max- there was no way this stranger would have been able to see Max and not be known by all her friends.

Fang stared. Just stared. Why did this man seem familiar? How did he know Max exactly? Why would she send a stranger to them? Better yet, how was she able to send someone when she wasn't allowed to see anyone?

Ah... Of course. _No one was allowed to visit Max. Except one man but no one knew who was visiting her._ "You're the one visitor," Fang stated.

Richard nodded. "Yes. Um- may I come in, if I'm not being too bold?"

Fang nodded his head back and stepped away from the doorway. Nudge slugged Ella over to the kitchen for a glass of water so she could calm down faster. Iggy eyed Fang's gloved hands as he closed the door after Richard entered.

"Fang," Iggy murmured, pointedly staring at his hands.

"I was going through the box William left that one time he visited. He came here every night- he had a key. He hurt Max while she was asleep," Fang hurriedly whispered to him. "There's pictures," he took off the gloves, directing Richard to sit on the couch, walking over to the kitchen table with Iggy. "You keep going through the stuff, see what else you can find. Try to find something that can lead to her being let free."

Iggy nodded and put the gloves on, looking at the shirt on the table. "Hey, wasn't that-?" He stopped his question, seeing the sad look in Fang's eyes. "Right, look through the stuff, set Max free," He raised a hand to his forehead in a salute. "Aye, aye, Cap'n Crunch," He smirked at Fang before turning to the box.

Fang went over to Richard. "Now," he sat across from him, on the coffee table. "Why did Max send you?"

* * *

Shannon poked my side as I hummed and wrote. I glanced over at her. "Yes, Miss Annoying?"

She chuckled. "I did something," She smiled at me, showing pride in her actions.

I rolled my eyes. "Poking me isn't an accomplishment, Shannon," I sat next to her on her bunk.

"Not that! Something else," She suddenly turned timid and sheepish so I paid close attention, worried for both her and me. "Richard visited yesterday."

I nodded. "Yes, like every other day," And like every other day, no one visits me.

"Yes. Right. Of course like every other day. But I did something last time. I told him something. Something important."

I swear to God Shannon must be ADD.

I blinked. "And you're telling me because...?" What exactly was her point to all this?

She nodded once to herself before looking from me to the wall across from us. "When Mum was fifteen, she wasn't ready for kids," Her British accent slipped through. That's one thing I loved about Shannon, she had the humor of a Southern trucker but she was British class when it came to manners. "She wasn't ready mentally but someone thought she was ready physically. Right before she turned sixteen, she put her baby up for adoption when it was born."

What was she talking about? Why was this relevant to Richard and me?

"After a couple years, when she was done with school, she got married- I think she was twenty-two when she and Dad got married. But she didn't have another child until she was thirty-four. The child she had put up for adoption was nineteen when her second was born. Another girl. The adoption plans had been open but restricted. They didn't send pictures until she asked and she didn't need to see her. Mum made sure she was safe and happy with her adopted family, despite her adopted parents having a son so much younger than her. Not a day went by did she regret giving up Marian and keeping little half-blind Shannon." She smiled at me sadly.

I stared at her. Oh my God... My roommate is Marian's biological sister? Marian... Marian as in Fang's adopted sister Marian? I thought of the age difference. Marian died two years ago when she was forty-one. Fang had been twenty-two. Forty-one minus twenty-two is nineteen years difference and Fang was born when Marian was nineteen. Oh my God!

Marian was British?

I blinked at Shannon. "Shannon, um, how did you know-?"

"Mum tells me things. She told me of Fang, Marian's new little brother- well, I guess he's not new nor little anymore. But she also told me about a Maximum Ride and her brother Ignius Ride. How they loved Marian so. How they were her true family, despite the age difference. She told me of Marian's death two years ago too." She smiled. "At least she's happy and safe now. She's not in pain, she's looking out for us, Max," She whispered, looking into my eyes.

I knew the sea green eyes looked familiar to me. One was duller but still just as beautiful as the other, just as beautiful as Marian's. Her hair was pale brown, sort of a dishwater blonde. She had freckles across her cheekbones right under her eyes. If her hair had been longer and her skin darker, she would have been a dead-ringer for Marian. With this new knowledge, I felt tears spring to my eyes. I held them back, I didn't want Shannon seeing me cry.

"Marian is looking out for us, keeping us safe, Max," She kept whispering. "She'll save us. She'll save us from ourselves."

"What do you mean?" I questioned. I was sick and tired of all this trivia. I just wanted a straight answer.

"Marian will keep us together, keep us as ourselves. She's making sure we won't forget who we are or who she was. She loves us, Max. She loves us." She smiled at me, wiping at her eyes. She, too, had tears in her eyes. "But none of that now," She restored her voice to normal. "I sent Richard to Fang." She looked back at me, looking almost like a normal person again. No red, puffy eyes; no sad, wistful smile. Just a smirking twenty-four year old who looked cocky beyond reason. "I knew Fang wouldn't remember him either so I told him that you sent him. I do hope you don't mind but I knew Fang wouldn't listen unless the message was, essentially, from you."

I shrugged. "How do you-?"

"It'd be the same thing as Richard. We're very similar, Max. Choosing men who only trust those close to them. Being wary about everyone, being protective of those they love." She smiled at me again. "I bet they're both agressive too. I'm sure Fang is- I know Richard is," She laughed, winking at me.

I smirked. "Actually, Fang is gentle," What? It wasn't a _total_ lie. He _was _gentle- after a while, at least...

"No wonder you don't have kids yet," She laughed loudly. She sighed loudly too, almost seeming to go into the past, her eyes afar. "Just wait till you're both married,"

"I don't know if it'll go that far," I smiled sadly. Not at the fact that we had fought before I was arrested, but because of the distance between us. If I couldn't get out of jail, nothing would happen between us.

"Oh, I have faith, Max," Shannon bumped my shoulder with hers. "I have faith."

I smiled at her and hugged her, showing my appreciation.

She placed a hand on my stomach when we broke apart. She bent down a bit as though to talk to it. "I have faith in this little one," She looked up at me.

My eyes went wide. "Shannon, I'm not pregnant," I was shocked, to say the least. Was I... Did I look that fat?

"Are you sure?" She sat straight, her hand never straying from my stomach.

"P-positive! Shannon, am-" I lowered my voice. "Am I fat?" I looked at my stomach. It didn't seem any different, didn't seem chunky at all.

Shannon's head tilted to the side a bit. "Huh, I could have sworn... Your aura was..." Shannon had told me before that she could read people's auras, the energy around a person. "It was light... golden... mature."

"That's because I'm an adult, I have to be mature..." I mumbled.

Shannon scanned around me, as though looking as fine cloth as a seamstress. "Mature as in maternal." She looked at my face again with her one dead eye and one lively eye. "Perhaps it was a trick of your feelings. Homesick for your younger family?"

I nodded. "Yes," Shannon slowly removed her hand from my stomach. "I want to know what you told Richard to tell Fang." I told her straight out, changing the subject back. "Will you tell me?"

Shannon was quiet, staring at me, almost trying to figure out how I would react if she told me. I tried to be calm but she smiled widely, filling me with dread. I knew that smile... Marian used that every time she said-

"Now where's the fun in that?"

_Yeah, she was Marian's sister alright..._

**Hey, everyone! I'm back! Again! So, I loved, loved, loved all my reviews! I'm glad I still have readers and new readers. For those of you who have been dragged along through the year (Two years?), thank you for sticking with! I truly appreciate it. And for those of you who are new to the story, thank you for putting this on your alerts! :3 I was shocked by some of the reviewers- as I read the names of those of you who reviewed, I was surprised at some of them. A couple of you, I'm a fan of yours so I felt honored that you like my stories! :) My updates will come sooner, I hope. When I saw that I got way more reviews than I asked for, I simply had to update for you all. It was very sweet so you deserve to have the next chapter. :) I hope this chapter is good. And, to let you all in on a secret, I just thought of Shannon being related to Marian when I created her (aka four days ago) lol. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, I hope no one was OOC... And with William- OhMahGawd, I had gone back to reread some of the stuff and realized, as I read about him, that he shouldn't have had the key if he and Max weren't together. So I'm like, "Well, I'm not going back to fix that so I'll write it in," Which was surprising since I was gonna have him break in as part of the plot before I even thought of/remembered the key lol.**

**Anyway, I'm gonna be a review-whore now and ask for fifteen reviews again, otherwise, I'll update slower. (Lol, I _really am_ a review-whore, Sirius, haha. I crave reviews ;3)**


	19. He's Back? Why?

Fang almost growled when Richard didn't say anthing. He just sat there, staring into Fang's eyes as if searching for something.

Finally, as Fang opened his mouth to speak- rather, yell- Richard spoke, "Stop trying to visit Max,"

"Excuse me?" Fang, Ella, and Iggy yelled, Fang standing up from the table. Iggy had dropped a picture frame onto the floor in his anger while Ella slammed the cabinet shut, almsot breaking the wood.

"What the hell? How _dare _you come in here and tell us-" Ella bumped Nudge to shut her up before her rant started.

Richard stood and slid away from a fuming Fang. "I'm saying that I'm trying to do all I can but all of you trying to get into jail is messing me up!" He yelled, shocking them all. "I can see you're all the assertive type so now I don't have to be quiet." His British accent was in full swing. "There's something that Shannon and I need to ask of you, all of you,"

"Who- who's Shannon?" Ella asked, stepping closer.

Richard hesitated, worrying they would all kick him out if they knew Max didn't send him. "My wife... She's Max's cellmate and- and Marian's biological sister," He glanced at Fang to see all the anger replaced by sorrow.

"I," Fang whispered, voice broken. "I didn't know Marian had a sister?"

"Neither did Marian," Richard soothed. "But Shannon knew she had an older sister. And we want to help,"

"How can you help? How are you able to visit Max? Why haven't we met- how did Max know you?" Iggy kept questioning, stepping closer and closer until they were nose to nose. Richard was slightly taller than Iggy so his eyes were tilted at the top of his eyelids.

"I visit Shannon every other day with our children. Since Max is her cellmate, we convinced a security guard to let Max in on some of our visitation sessions. Seeing Max like that," he shook his head as if to expell the thought from his mind. "Shannon and I never want to see Max looking dead in the eyes. I haven't seen her like that since the funeral."

Fang took a step over to Iggy and Richard, getting in their line of sight, Iggy's face devastated. "You were at the funeral?"

Richard looked over at Fang and nodded, frowning. "Yes. Not a day goes by Shannon doesn't wish she and Marian grew up together. Now, like I said, stop trying to visit Max. I'll deal with that part, alright?"

Ella and Nudge ran over. "Then what exactly are we supposed to do, huh?" Ella yelled. "Just sit here while she rots away in a cell?"

Richard stared at her. "Yes," He stepped toward the door. "I am sincerely sorry for startling you when I first got here but, if you'll all excuse me, I must be going." He opened the apartment door and turned to face them all. Nudge was lookingat him warily, as if expecting him to laugh in their faces. Iggy and Fang looked furious; they wanted to go with Richard to the prison, see Max and be there for her. Ella... well, Ella just looked blank. He could see the trust in her eyes but also the expectancy of betrayal.

"Do what you have to." Ella crossed her arms, staring at him. "But you better get her out." Her voice was more threatening than any of them had heard.

Richard smirked. "You're just like her. No wonder she loves you so much," He left without another word, Ella falling to her knees, crying.

Fang ran over to her and kneeled next to her, pulling her into an embrace.

"I want her back home!" Ella sobbed, pressing her face into Fang's chest.

"We all do. It'll be fine, Ella," Fang kissed her forehead. "Nudge, get her to bed. Iggy, I'll help you with the box,"

-!-

Max sighed and looked around the courtyard. All the prisonmates were outside to exercise. There was a yoga session going on at one corner of it, an outdoor weightroom (weirdly enough), a basketball court, and spots to sit and relax. Max chose the weightroom and stepped onto a tredmill. Shannon was right next to her, jogging on hers.

"Why is all this outside?" Max asked, chuckling. "Wouldn't everything get ruined by the rain?"

Shannon nodded. "If they didn't cover them up with tarp, yes." She smiled. "Despite it being jail, they're fairly nice to us when it comes to this kind of stuff. We're a women's prison; it's not like we're going to be strong enough to murder the guards. This jail houses no killers," She nodded to the tredmill Max stood on. "Level 2 is best for jogging; it really gets you winded but so worth it."

Max stared at the buttons as she turned the tred on. She smiled and turned it to level 5. The guards had music playing over some speakers so she could run to it. Glee's version of Thriller/Heads Will Roll was playing loud and clear as she started running. It cleared her mind perfectly.

Her legs pumped quickly, a blur to everyone around, her voice straining to be as loud as the music, the speakers still drowning her out. She laughed, not even sweating, her arms working at her sides to keep her balance. She turned it up a level and a half, noticing the guards and other inmates watching her.

She felt free, her eyes closed after a moment. She felt like she was flying. She ran in beat with the music, somehow her feet barely touching the ground as she sprinted in place.

"Ride!" A guard yelled, trying to get her attention.

Her eyes snapped open and she jumped up, sliding back from having stopped moving on the tredmill. She landed on the ground an inch from the moving trackpad. She stared at the guard, her eyes hard.

He blinked, his arms crossed. "You have a visitor." He looked her up and down. "We'll give you time to cool down before you head over." As he turned to leave, he paused and stared at her with worried eyes. "Try to be careful on the equipment, alright? We wouldn't want you to get hurt. Dylan wouldn't either,"

She blinked, shocked, and ran over to him. If she recalled, his name was Jason. "Jason! How do you know about Dylan?" She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

He bit his lip and stepped closer to her so no one would hear. "He's here. I know you're not best friends but pretend alright? He's my cousin and he sent me to work here to make sure you were safe. He's here to help," He backed away. "Richard wants to help too so... hurry up to visiting quarters."

-!-

I sighed as I stared at Dylan sitting across from me at the table. He smiled sadly. "How are you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you think I am?"

He nodded. "Fair enough. I know the last time we talked was... uneventful-"

"You tried to make me break up with Fang," I pointed out, annoyed and leaning back in my chair.

He winced. "Yeah. Like I said, or was going to say, I'm sorry about that. I worked through my thoughts and I'm back with Lissa."

"Does she know you're here?"

Dylan winced again and shook his head. "No. No one does except for Richard. He told everyone to stop trying to visit."

"Why would he do that?" I yelled, standing up. The guards by the door took warning steps toward me.

Dylan held up his hand. "It's fine, it's fine." He looked at me as I slowly calmed and sat down. "If they kept trying to get in, Will's insider would have been all over your case still. Once everyone stopped, he relaxed a bit and Jason was able to transfer here and sneak me in to see you,"

"If he can sneak you in, can't he sneak Fang in?"

Dylan ground his teeth together. "The only way to sneak me in was to say I was your lawyer for court."

I tilted my head, confused. "You're an attorney?" He nodded. "And... and I'm going to court?"

He nodded once more, smiling. "Fang and Iggy are working on the evidence against Will as we speak. And so far, they've got enough to send him to jail for life. He's done more than you think, Max. Richard was the gateway to get you a lawyer. When he was visiting you, he talked to some of the guards and found out when your trial was."

I smiled, happy, but it faded. "Ella... Dylan, how's Ella? She can't be taking this well. She may act tough but... there's only so much as she can handle," Tears welled up in my eyes.

Dylan put a hand on mine and curled his fingers around my own, squeezing reassuringly. "I haven't seen her but I'm sure she's fine. Like you said, she's tough. And she has family to help her through this. She's not alone." He looked into my eyes, his own flickering slightly as he looked at one then the other. "And neither are you, Max. We're all fighting this. We'll win. You just have to trust me." He paused. "Do you trust me?"

I bit my lip and looked down at our hands before wiping the tears from my eyes and smiling at him. "Yes."

He smirked. "Good,"

**Oh my gosh, I am super D- I freaking hate Barney- dooper sorry! I've been trying to update, I really have but I, alas, have no excuse. I've just been losing inspiration lately, which sucks for everyone, and I don't have Word anymore on my computer since it crashed AGAIN *eye twitching...* Anyway, I have to use the Document Manager to write the chapters which is kind of hard to do since I need it for more than one story. :/ But I hope you liked this. Spring Break is coming soon for me but, before that, I have my choir concert where the middle schoolers sing with us. Tragic, I know. But I need to prepare for that and I'm trying to get jobs- that's right, jobS- so I can pay for my own stuff. And all of a sudden, I'm busy making party plans with my friends. AND I'm busy with getting my grades in order. I love fanfiction, I do, I really do, but real life comes first. If not, I would be here every second of every minute of every day of every month of every year until the end of time.**

**Since I can't, this will have to do. I swear I'll try to update soon but I can't promise for sure. I hope you all like it, it probably seems like it's falling to shit but I mean it when I say, this is the best I can come up with right now. I would love if everyone- logged in or not- would review and honestly tell me what you think.**

**I love you all,**

**~AmyKatherine**


	20. Court

I sighed and nervously tapped my foot on the floor. Dylan was sitting next to me, flipping through papers. Luckily, I was allowed to wear what I wanted. I wore my black _Don't Hate Me_crop tee, heavy destroyed white skinny jeans, red peep toe heels, black 3.1 Phillip Lim Woven Lattice Belt, red Ben-Amun coral seed beads multi row necklace with coins, black knot tassle earrings, and white beanie hat that sat at the back of my head so my curled hair still flowed out. On my hands were my black fishnet gloves. I had red lipstain on and red NASH nail polish along with black, smoky eyeshadow and white eyeliner. **(whole thing on profile)**

Dylan put his hand on my knee and gave me a stern look. I stopped tapping my foot and he removed his hand to rifle through his papers again. "This should begin soon. All our people are here. We're just waiting on William,"

I bit my lip. "Are you sure this will get me out? If it was enough, I'd be out already without trial,"

"Procedure," he said, stacking his papers.

I leaned back in my seat. "You don't have any faith in yourself, do you?"

Dylan shrugged. "Just nervous, that's all," he turned a small smirk at me. "I heard you might be pregnant,"

I stiffened and looked at him, my eyes hard and my lips pressed hard together. "Who told you that?" I tried to go for innocent but... it didn't quite work.

Dylan laughed. "Jason found a used pregnancy test in the trash can. Shannon told him."

I rolled my eyes. "I swear, those two..."

Dylan hesitated. "So, are you?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No. Negative. I never believed I was and I have no symptoms either. Shannon was just being weird but... I just wanted to make sure, you know?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Lissa is," I looked up at him and saw him smiling. "We're gonna get married too,"

I hugged him. "That's wonderful, Dylan! I'm so happy for you!" I pulled away. "It is yours, isn't it?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, it is. Should be, at least," His eyes widened. "Oh! I've been meaning to tell you! Val is due in two weeks,"

I smiled. "Hopefully, I'm out to be there for her,"

"You will be,"

We looked behind us into the pews and saw Fang and Ella standing there in the front row. I stood and lunged myself at them, engulfing them in a giant hug. "You're here!" I almost squealed.

Fang buried his face in my hair as Ella pulled back to look at me. "We finally get to see you again," she smiled at me, her eyes watery.

Fang held my tighter. "I missed you,"

"I missed you too. Both of you- all of you!" I gently peeled myself away from Fang's grip. "We should be starting soon so I have to behave,"

He looked at what I was wearing. "As stylish as I remember." he murmured. Fang held my hands in his. "Max, you have to know we tried everything to get to you-"

"I know. And I love you all so much for trying," I sighed. "But you have to sit down now,"

They nodded and walked off. But before that, Fang quickly spun back at me and grabbed me into a hug, his mouth at my ear. "I love you, Max,"

I held him back just as tightly. "Love you too,"

Fang kissed my cheek as he pulled away and I sat down in my seat.

The doors opened and we all turned to see Officer Varner stumbling in, holding his arm. His hand was covered in blood as he tried to keep his wound closed.

"He ran," He ground out between his teeth, pain evident on his face. "When he found out what this trial was for, he got me and ran," He panted and leaned against a pew in the back.

I looked back at the judge to see her reaction. She was shocked. "Do you think other guards can catch him?"

Varner shook his head. "No. They don't know his tricks. Only one person does," Varner looked at me with sad eyes. "Max, I am so sorry. I didn't know about it,"

I raised my eyebrow. "You're his best friend- you should have known or at least been able to find out,"

"I didn't want to believe it. Please, Max, I'm really sorry. I thought a girl like you would change him." He let a small smile flitter onto his face. "Guess I was wrong. Judge Halpert, let Max find him. She'll be able to,"

"She's a felon-"

"William stabbed a fucking cop! Max was framed for the drugs! You can trust her- she's a goddamn choir teacher!" Varner yelled, sliding into the pew seat. "Trust me on this: if you don't let Max find him, he'll be gone forever,"

The judge looked at me. She sighed. "Baliff, escort Max out the courthouse. It's like a maze out in the halls,"

I stood up. "Not necessary, ma'am. I'll figure it out." I smiled. "You can count on me,"

I started walking out of the courtroom and stopped at the door to look back at the judge. "I'll be back soon, I promise. And William will be with me," I held my hand out to Varner and he placed his handcuffs in my palm, the blood staining the metal a faded red.

"You better make it back, Max," Varner murmured, wincing from his arm.

I nodded. "Get Varner a doctor immediately," I murmured to a woman to my left. She ran out with her cellphone open.

**-!-**

I ran down the halls of the courthouse, skidding in my heels around corners to get closer and closer to the entrance. A security guard saw me running and tried to get in my way. He bent his knees and held his arms out like he was ready for me to tackle him. I jumped over him and past the checkpoint. I ran out the door.

I stopped outside the door and slowed my breathing, looking around on one side of the sidewalk and then the other. I ran to the left, since Varner was stabbed on his right arm. Will probably ran back the way the came and was walking nearest the buildings.

As I rounded a corner, I was pulled into an alley, my mouth covered, and slammed against a wall, farther in. I looked up and saw William scowling down at me.

"Why do you insist on wearing heels? You know you can't walk in them." William noted, sniffing as he looked to the side toward the road.

I scowled and stood straighter. "No, Will, I can walk in heels. I just couldn't walk before since you kept trying to break my legs,"

He smiled sardonically. "And even then, you came back to me,"

"As if I wanted to be there. You just showed up and I couldn't hide out long enough without a search party after my tail." I took a step away from the wall. "Come on, Will, it's time to go."

He laughed. "Yeah, right. As if I'd go with you to get arrested!"

"You fucking took me from my family. Believe me; if it were up to me, you'd be dead right now,"

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm loving this new fire inside you. I guess little lover boy brought your spirit back when he returned from New York."

I rolled my eyes. "Will, you have no right to pry into my life. Now cooperate or you're getting cuffed,"

"Kinky. I like it," he took a step closer and I backed up into the wall to maintain the distance. He laughed again. "Oh, Maxie, Maxie, Maxie, when are you ever going to learn?" He lunged forward and grabbed my neck, pulling my head forward and slamming it back in my surprise. I felt and heard either my skull or the wall behind me crack. I didn't make a noise but I did wince from the impact. "I own you. And Varner is going to tell the judge that you ran off without looking for me. Resisting arrest and abstructing justice, I believe the terms are called?"

I growled at him and punched him in the stomach. "You're a sick individual," William barely flinched at the contact of my fist to his gut.

He took his other hand to brush his fingers through the loose hair in front of my face. "And don't I know it?" Using that same hand, he withdrew it and swung that arm past my face only to have his elbow collide with my jaw. My head snapped to the side from the hit.

I kept my head still so I could see straight as he lifted his nose to the spot under my ear. "You smell heavenly. Is that perfume I detect?"

I lifted my arms, crossed, and shoved them against his chest, making his body lean back from the force. "No. And keep your hands off me." I jerked my knee up and hit him in his groin. He doubled over, letting me go. I slid to the side, closer to the road than the dead end, pulling the handcuffs out from my back pocket. "It's time, Will." I opened one of the cuffs to snap it onto his wrist when he stood, wobbling.

He was holding a pistol, aimed at my head. It definitely made me freeze: Will was a good shot- we had gone to shooting ranges together before. He laughed, blood rushing to his face making it bright red. It added the insanity to his appearance, not just his mind. "C'mon, Maxie. You know me better than that. Probably the only one who knows me at all. I couldn't let you get me, and I definitely couldn't let you get away- not again." He cocked the gun, finger on the trigger.

I smirked. "I do know you, Will, you're right about that. But here's the thing: you don't know me. Not at all," I ran at him, the gunshot sounding through the air.

That was it...

* * *

**Okay, who's fucking pissed at me right now? Either for the super long wait or because of this cliffhanger? (And knowing me, I probably won't update for a LONG time so this will be with you all for an extremely long time!)**

**I have no excuse this time but I only ask for everyone's forgiveness. I haven't exactly been in any writing mood for this story and I didn't want to fuck it up. I'm really glad that I'm still getting alerts, favorites, and comments so far into this story and this journey. Truly, I'm honored to have great fans like you guys and I'm sorry for having taken advantage of it. I promise to be better about it. Which is why, from now on, with my new stories, I am going to have my notebook filled with chapters all the way unti lthe end before even typing it all up or uploading. I want to have everything ready and set before I decide to commit to them. This story, sadly, is almost over. I think only two chapters after this...**

**And I've come up with a couple ideas for new stories and new ways to keep everyone updated. I have a Twitter account but I never use it. This could be a good excuse to: AmyKatherine914. Tweet me anytime to encourage me or bitch me out for not updating. Even give me suggestions! I also have a deviantART now: AmyKatherine914. And, finally, my e-mail is still there: AmyKatherine914 gmail . com **

**I know, I'm not original. But I want to keep these names the same for everyone since it'll make finding me easier. So, what I'm going to do now, with my profile, is reconstruct it. I'm going to fix up my information, get rid of those little "_add to your profile if..._" stuff and keep and update links for all my stories. THEN, I am going to go through all those stories and fix those up, get rid of the crap, add in the deliciousness. I created a Polyvore account which, for the unfamiliar, is a site where you can create your own interior design options, outfits, etc. I'm mainly going to make my characters' clothes on there, which is where Max's most recent outfit it. I'll link it on my profile once the reconstruction is finished.**

**I love all of you and appreciate you all staying with this. I PROMISE to update tomorrow! I can't just leave it the way it ended for too long. Not just for you guys but for me: I'll most likely forget the ending I have in mind, hahaha**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and I hope all of you like how this story is going. I'm praying that everyone is in character. I know Max is: only she would lunge at a man with perfect aim, haha.**

**Love You All,**

**~AmyKatherine**


	21. Life Was Finally Good Again

I panted, scared internally, as the cuff slid and locked around Will's wrist, the gun right next to my ear, facing the street. The shot was loud and my ears rang. It fucking hurt, don't get me wrong, but the satisfaction of Will missing his target was too good.

"What's wrong, Will? Upset you missed?" I questioned, a smirk on my face. I twisted his wrist and he dropped to gun, fighting me the entire time. I popped his arm back and cuffed the other wrist as well. I balled the back of his shirt into my fist. "Let's go, Will. It's over,"

"Fuck you! There's no way this is over, Max!" He planted his feet and looked over his shoulder at me. "No matter what, this will _never_ be over,"

I nodded. "You keep telling yourself that." I shoved him face first toward the brick wall and his head collided with the hard surface, blood spurting from the broken skin. "That's payback for earlier,"

William laughed. "That's not the worst of it,"

I sighed and shook my head, leading him out of the alley. "Don't I know it?"

We walked back to the courthouse and, as we got closer, I could feel William stiffen and lean away as if he knew that he would never leave that building. "Max," he addressed softly. "Um... Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" He looked at me. "I could do so much worse from the inside,"

"William," I tried to keep the smile off my face. "Your threat is worthless. I can see it in your eyes: you're too scared to actually have a plan." I shoved him forward. "Besides," I smiled. "You'll probably be dead before you can do anything."

I opened the door to the courthouse and waltzed in, William's feet sliding. The security guard from before scratched his head at the scene: a runaway bringing in a man in handcuffs. I smirked and walked around the scurity checkpoint. The security guard followed and keep a hand on William's other shoulder since he was struggling against my hold. I smiled my thanks at him.

The guard opened the door and shoved Will in, letting me walk in after him. Varner was standing up front, at William's table, speaking out to the judge.

"Judge, she's been gone too long. I doubt she's coming back." He said. I stood in the back with my hand over Will's mouth to keep him quiet.

"Varner, it was _you_ who told me to let her go. If she doesn't come back, you're getting stripped of your officer title and sentenced to jail as well." Judge Halpert smirked and looked right at me. "And she's right here. With our runaway too," I removed my hand from Will's mouth, wiping my palm on my pantleg. "Come on in, Miss Ride."

I shoved William farther into the courtroom ahead of me. He was slouching, defeated. "I told you I'd be back," I smiled. "Your honor." I added.

She nodded. "Baliff, take the cuffed man into custody. It appears that he does not need any trial nor does Miss Ride. Varner, too. I hereby state Varner Goldman and William Pratt under arrest. Miss Ride, you are free to go. This will not go on record," With that, she banged the gavel and Baliff took a writhing William and a sulking Varner through the side door, both in cuffs.

I turned to Dylan with a smile on my face. He stood next to me and I engulfed him in a hug. "We did it!"

Dylan's arms wrapped around me and he kissed the top of my head. "No: _you_ did it," He let me go. "Now go on. Go to Fang," He bumped my shoulder.

I turned and ran to Fang's arms, him lifting me up in the air, our lips connected. He pulled away earlier that I would have liked. "You taste like blood," he noted, putting my feet back on the ground.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's not like William would have come willingly." I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "I'm just glad I cuffed him before he shot me,"

Fang's eyes widened. "_Shot_?"

"Yep. He missed but my ear is still ringing from the noise."

Fang kissed my ears and my lips before pulling me to his chest. "Tonight, I'm going to get rid of all the sin that William did or ever planned to do. And you're going to make up the time in jail to me,"

I laughed. "I wouldn't ask for anything more," I let him go and hugged Ella who ran up to me. "I'm so glad you're alright, Ella,"

"_Me_?" She all but yelled, crying. "_You_ were worried about _me_? _You_ were the one in jail!"

"Yes, but I knew I could handle it- kind of. I was worried that you wouldn't have anyone at school to help you."

She held me tigher. "I love you, Max."

I kissed her temple. "Love you too,"

"Max!" Nudge, Iggy, and Richard yelled, running up.

"Iggy!" I screamed, letting Ella go and jumping into my big brother's arms. "I missed your humor, big bro!" I laughed, tears falling down my face.

Iggy spun me around and pulld Nudge into the hug on my other side so she could get her fill too. "We both missed your spark," He chuckled. "Glad you're back,"

"I have so much to tell you, Max!" Nudge cried into my back. "I'm so happy you're free,"

I nodded. "I'm happy too. And we'll catch up later tonight." I pulled away from them and looked at Richard, a sad smile on my face. "Richard,"

I opened my arms to him and he stepped forward, hugging me to his chest. "This has truly been an honor; to meet you, Max. I'm glad I could help you. Shannon is happy too,"

I laughed, a watery, broken sound coming out with it. "Isn't she always?" I sniffed. "I'm going to miss you guys. And I'm sorry I can't get Shannon out,"

"She didn't tell you?" Richard pulled back, his blue eyes quizzical. I titled my head, confused. "She's getting out in three weeks,"

My jaw dropped and I stepped back. "Why wouldn't she tell me that?"

He shrugged. "Who knows? Be happy, though, Max. You're with your family again,"

I nodded, wiping my eyes carefully so my make-up wouldn't smear. "Yeah. I am happy. And I expect to see you, Shannon, and the kids soon."

He laughed. "I promise, we'll come visit,"

Fang stepped over to me, his arm automatically going around my waist. "You better. I want to get to know Marian's family."

I held Fang to my side tightly, smiling at how accepting he was of his past now.

Ella ran to Richard and hugged him. "Thank you for getting Max back to us!"

Richard patted her back. "No need to thank me. Max is family," He winked at me, his eyes flickering between Fang and I. I blushed. "Or at least, will be. Soon, I hope." he chuckled.

Ella let him go and looked up at him. "So, we'll see you guys at our place for dinner in three weeks, sir?" She smoothed her shirt, trying to be formal. I almost laughed at how young she was acting. I always forgot Ella was seventeen.

Richard smiled. "Please, Ella. I am your uncle. Call me Uncle Rich."

Iggy snorted behind me. "Or Uncle Dick," he murmured. I bumped him in the stomach with my elbow. He grunted. "Or not..."

It was good to be with my family again..

**-!-**

I groaned in delight, Fang laughing at my joyous expression. I savored the taste as I swallowed.

"Max," He chuckled. "It's _just_ pizza,"

"Cheap pizza, at that," Ella mumbled past her food.

"But it's real food!" I smiled, taking another huge bite.

"So, what? They fed you cardboard in prison?" Iggy asked, smirking at the fact that I grabbed my eleventh slice.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Oh, hush up. Prison food is disgusting! I'm just glad that one girl was able to sneak in McDonald's. I would have _died_ without it!" I leaned against Fang's side dramatically.

He, Iggy, Ella, and Nudge laughed at my antics. "It seems she's fine. No change since being in the big house," Fang teased. He looked down at me to see that I was biting his slice of pizza. "Hey!" He pulled it away from me.

I sat up and blinked at him innocently. He sighed and handed over the slice. I smiled, biting into it, handing it back after that.

"She's gotten a bigger appetite, that's for sure," Nudge noticed.

"Yeah. Seriously, when was the last time you _ate_?" Ella questioned. "You look skinnier,"

"I haven't eaten in two days,"

"Max!" Everyone yelled disapprovingly.

"What? It's not like I was starving myself. I was just too nervous about the trial to eat. I felt nauseous looking at the food." I mumbled, blushing behind my slice of pineapple pizza.

Nudge shook her head. "Of all the places in this city with higher quality food, you choose a simple pizza joint," She laughed.

"Hey: it's deliciously simple." I defended.

Fang pulled me to his side. "Can't argue with that," He held up his cup of Coke Zero. "To freedom," He toasted.

I chuckled. As cheesy as it sounded, I agreed to that toast. I was finally free. I held up my glass. "To freedom," I smiled at the man at my side, winking at him.

"To freedom!" Everyone else yelled, tapping their glasses to ours.

Yeah... Life was finally good again.

* * *

**Like I promised, here's the next chapter! Hope you liked it! I have absolutely no idea what happens in court so I just sort of... decided there would be no trial. I'm sure if there was that much evidence against the man and obvious evidence that said Max was innocent, that the trial wouldn't really happen. Anyway, I think I'm only going to make one more chapter. Sad, I know.**

**Anyway, I'm definitely going to be better at this whole updating thing in the summer. I'm going to update every week on every Friday. I promise (not only because I'm going to really try but also because... I have nothing going on...). So, anyway, hope you liked this! Please review and share your thoughts! :3**

**~Amy-Katherine**


	22. I Don't Think This is Going to Work

I pulled away from Fang, smiling. "I'm really glad to be back," I murmured, eyes at half-mast.

Fang leaned toward me again, capturing my bottom lip between his teeth a couple times as he talked. "I am, too. And you haven't repaid your debt to me, Maxie," He smirked at my content expression.

"Can't you let me sleep for one night?" I groaned quietly, my eyes closing. I felt his lips skim across my neck and bare chest, his body sliding lower, arms snaking past the sheets and to my legs, caressing me gently. I could feel myself enjoying it more and more, despite my exhaustion. "Guess not," I flipped us over so I was straddling his waist, my lips shoved against his. His laugh reverberated through his chest and to my hands where they were placed on his pecs.

"If I leave you alone, something might happen again. I'm getting my fill as much as I can," He mumbled against my working, sliding lips. I moved them to his jaw so he could talk and I could fully understand. He held me closer to him. "Max," I kissed past his neck. "_Max_," I ignored him calling my name again, thinking it was just pre-sex excitement. "Can you stop and look at me or did I make you too horny?" He chuckled when I looked up and glared at him. "I'm being serious: I want to talk to you,"

I pulled back a bit and stared at his face, starting to slide off him. His arms captured me to his chest, causing me to lay flat on him. I lifted myself onto my elbows on either side of him so I wouldn't accidentally hurt him. "What's wrong?"

Fang smiled, his fingers sliding soothingly through my hair, a the smile small on his face. I loved that smile- I definitely needed to see it more. "I don't think this is going to work,"

I blinked and backed away, tears immediately coming to my eyes. I tried hiding them but I could tell he saw them. I didn't bother to wipe them away and catch them before they fell. Luckily, though, they didn't fall- yet. I gave him my most devastating glare, the one that I only showed to those who betrayed me too much. I gave it to him once before: when he told me about New York the first time. But that had been mixed with sorrow so it had no effect. I had wanted to use it when he told me the second time about New York, just before I had been encarcerated almost two months ago. Was it two months ago? Anyway, I had been bawling too much and had been too angry to even think of using it. "You're breaking up with me?" So soon after being set free?

Fang flipped us over so he was on top. He rested his chin on my stomach, near my belly button. "No,"

"So, what are you saying exactly?" I stared at the ceiling, glaring and refusing to look at his little _all-knowing_ smile. I couldn't believe he was doing it to me again! What the Frak?

...Yeah, I've been watching too much Battlestar Galactica...

"I'm saying that you and I," He kissed the skin of my stomach. "shouldn't be boyfriend and girlfriend," He dipped his tongue into my naval. "anymore." He nipped and kissed at it after he removed his tongue.

"Then knock it off. If you don't want to date anymore, then leave. I'm not about to become your fuck-buddy," _And I want you gone while I cry..._

All of a sudden, I felt something cold poking at my stomach. It startled me into looking down at him and I see his lips pecking at my skin, and every time his lips would touch down, I would feel that cold touch. I tilted my head in confusion. "Why are you so cold?" I whispered, my heart hammering in my chest.

He looked up at me, his mouth closed, lips pressed together tightly. "Hmm?"

"Why are your lips so cold?" I repeated. Why did it feel like my heart was dying? Why did I feel like going into cardiac arrest?

Fang dipped his head low again and pressed his lips to my naval again, the cold staying after he removed his lips and tongue. He looked up at me and smiled brightly at the look on my face: complete and utter shock and awe.

Sitting there in all its shiny glory was a simple silver ring. On the front, there were two silver hearts made from the band, connecting at the sides. On each side of the hearts, were three small diamonds, three-to-four diamonds handing from the insides of the two hearts. **[Picture on profile]** I looked up at his ecstatic face, understanding what my heart knew before my brain did.

"Fang?" My voice was so weak, so quiet... I could hardly recognize it.

His eyes twinkled. "Maximum Ride, you are the smartest, most talented, funniest, and bravest women I have ever met. You see the real me, you love Ella, and you survived through all these horrible memories I have put you through as well as others have. I want to make new memories with you and have them be good. I love your smile, your laugh, your touch, your smell, your face- but most importantly, I love you: as a person, with a personality that people envy and can only dream of having. I want to spend my life with you but I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore. I want to be _more_ than that. What do you say? Will you spend your life with me?"

I bit my bottom lip, hiding my watery smile. I granted him one small, shaky laugh. "When did you get so romantic?"

"When I realized that any thing in any day could take you away from me. I don't want that happening to me... to _us_, again. I want to protect you any way I can." He leaned toward me and stole my lips with his own. "So, what do you say? You have yet to answer, you know,"

I pressed into the kiss harder, carefully slipping the ring onto my finger, holding his face to mine afterward. I flipped us over so I was on top once again. "I'll tell you later: we have more important things to do," I murmured quickly against his lips, adjusting myself so I was situated perfectly on his lap, my legs wrapped around his hips.

I could feel him smile against me.

Yeah... Life was definitely the best.

**-!-**

I looked up and saw Ella standing above me and the kitchen table, laughing silently. "What?" I mumbled, looking at her tiredly.

She shrugged. "Nothing. You just looked absolutely exhausted. That," she added. "_and_ you burnt your toast, and you've got a whole thing of butter on it," she pointed to my breakfast.

I glared at the plate and slid it away from me, placing my head on the table where the place once sat. "_Ugh_,"

Ella sat next to me, laughing again, only outloud this time. "What's going on?"

"I can't move,"

"Cramps?"

"No: your uncle,"

Ella was silent and I peeked at her through my fingers. She looked disgusted. "Ew,"

I chuckled. "No, not that- well, yes, that, but I'm also exhausted because we were up all night talking, too. I think I got an hour of sleep,"

Ella smiled at me. "Well, you can take a nap, if you like, but Iggy, Nudge, Shannon, Richard, and the kids are coming over for dinner tonight, remember? You have to get cooking- and you need to look nice,"

"No sweats or tanks?"I pouted as she shook her head. "Fine. But I don't have anything to-"

"I made you something!" She smiled widely at me, running into her bedroom. I sat up straight in the chair, my back hitting the rest of it. She pulled a dry-cleaning/travel bag from her room. "This has everything inside. Now, what are you going to make?"

"Pot roast, in the crocpot. I just need to do the work now and it'll be cooking all day." I slowly stood, trying to carefully stretch. "Better get started,"

"Good luck," she smiled, setting the bag on the table, leaving the apartment. "I'm meeting some friends at the materials store. We're going to make some matching costumes for this party in a couple weeks,"

"Have fun!" I yelled as she shut the door, leaving.

Time to get started...

-!-

I winced, looking at myself in the mirror, wearing the clothes Ella made for me. Don't get me wrong, the clothes were fantastic: I just couldn't pull them off right. I heard people in the living room, greeting each other and laughing. Shannon and Richard had arrived with their kids along with Iggy and Nudge, Fang and Ella taking care of them as I got ready.

I was wearing a lace-up front blouse that was white on top with long sleeves, two buttons at my cleavage, and black on the bottom where the lacey bodice was. I had on grey-black slacks that folowed the curves of my hips and then flew down my legs into a slight flare cut. As a jacket, if we all went out later, was a Preen Line Biance cotton-blend blazer. Ella had worn this before, having gotten it from Lissa as a hand-me-down gift but it didn't work on her petite form. On my feet were high heeled ankle boots with peep toes and two small buckles on the side. I clipped my multi-chained feather necklace on, it sitting perfectly on my neck and chest with the shirt. I looked at my black cut-off watch on my wrist, seeing I could only hide so long before Fang dragged me out. I grabbed my rings and earrings, quickly slipping them on. My earrings were designed as zippers, the part where I would grab to zip something up. They were cool. And my rings were for my right hand, being for me pointer finger and my fourth finger. For the pointer finger, it was a TEM spoon ring, and for the fourth finger, if was a silver band that wrapped around my finger, disconnected, and looked like a skinny fang. **[Picture on profile]** My hair was laying flat with part of it tied together above the other half, just to keep it out of my face.

I left my room and smiled at everyone. Shannon squealed and ran over, tackling me with a hug.

"You look gorgeous!" She yelled, pulling back. "I'm so glad we could do this!"

I laughed. "Me, too, Shannon; me, too." I clapped my hands together once to get everyone's attention, especially the little kids'. "Who's ready to eat?"

As we all made our way to the kitchen table, Fang slid his hand in mine, winking at me when he caught my eye. His kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand, the ring on my finger being purposely brushed by his thumb lovingly. I smiled.

I just couldn't wait for the rest of my life with my family- my _whole_ family.

* * *

**Well, this is my last chapter! So sad to see this story end! :'( Anyway, let me know what you thought of this chapter and/or whole story in a review! :3 I'm onto bigger and better things. I'm going to start typing up chapters for _Rockstar Blues_ and _We Can Fly_: a new MR fanfic and then a sequel to YEGMW/IGYW. And THEN I'm going to type up _Bound_, an InuYasha fanfic. But before that, I'm going to reconstruct _Roommates_, a PPG fanfic. :)**

**Love you all and please review!**

**~AmyKatherine**


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